Prince Harry turns 40 this September, and it’s probably fair to say that his life hasn’t exactly turned out as he’d planned. No doubt he’s proud to be a husband and father of two, but he likely never imagined that he would ever turn his back on his father, brother, and the whole Royal family.
According to one of Harry’s “closest friends,” who elected to go unnamed when speaking with The Times (via Independent), the Duke of Sussex is approaching his big birthday in a foul mood as he allegedly regrets both moving to the U.S. in the first place and also the way his and wife Meghan Markle’s popularity has dwindled over the past couple of years.
“He’s an angry boy. Things haven’t turned out how he wanted,” said The Times‘ source. “I think he misses being over here [in Britain] desperately and wants to be admired more.”
The supposed former best pal went on to admit that Harry is secretly very jealous of brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton’s status as beloved public figures in the U.K. “Anyone who knows him feels he’d rather be top of the pops here with everyone loving him, as they do with William and Kate,” the source said.
In fact, it might not just be in his native homeland where Harry is less popular than the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Kate Middleton flips the script by becoming more popular in the U.S. than actual U.S. residents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
By rights, Harry and Meghan should be America’s favorite Royals, as they are the ones who have ditched the U.K. to live a more typical Hollywood celebrity lifestyle, since their relocation to Montecito, California with their two kids, Prince Archie (5) and Princess Lilibet (3), in 2020. And yet it seems living under the Cali sun has cost the Sussexes their exotic allure.
According to The Times’ aforementioned source, the duke and duchess are supposedly old news in the U.S. now. In particular, Princess Catherine is said to be “dominating” conversations about the Royals, amid the upsurge in support and popularity for Kate as she undergoes cancer treatment. The same goes for King Charles.
The source claimed that Harry and Meghan have simply “dropped out of the conversations” in the States, in sharp contrast to their relatives back home.
“What they haven’t been able to do is create a public presence that’s respected and popular,” the source shared. “I was in LA recently and was struck by how they’re not the topic of conversation. Everyone wanted to know about the King and Kate’s health. Harry and Meghan have dropped out of the conversation.”
To be honest, this perspective is perhaps a little hyperbolic — as Harry was certainly making headlines in the U.S. recently, thanks to his controversial ESPY award acceptance. Those probably weren’t exactly the kind of positive headlines the apparent attention-seeker was looking for, though.
He may be turning four-zero, but maybe what Harry really fears is becoming a zero.