SSix years have passed since the historic announcement that, on January 8, 2020, marked the separation of Harry and Meghan by the British court. Seeking greater economic independence, the Sussexes first took refuge in Canada and then, at the outbreak of the pandemic, moved to Montecito, California, where they still reside with their children Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4. But amid criticism, controversy and accusations against the Royal relatives – not to mention a catalog of media failures that seems never-ending and which makes them increasingly irrelevant – today the Sussexes hope to be able to return to London soon. Meghan, who has not set foot on British soil since 2022, appears less convinced; Harry, however, seems obsessed with the idea, so much so that he has had rather heated discussions with his wife. But why such an about-face?
Six years after MegxitHarry and Meghan do not regret but want their Royal positions back
The last official engagement, conducted in a cold atmosphere and in the presence of all the other Royals, dates back to March 2020, on the occasion of the ceremony for the Commonwealth. Now, however, the rumors have persisted for months. The Dukes of Sussex would like to get closer to the Crown. No, they don’t want to return to London on a permanent basis: Harry simply wants to convince his father Carlo to give him back some official position, with a strictly part-time function.
A role, therefore, hybrid and unprecedented, essential to maintain the Royal status which makes the Sussexes interesting and sought after from a commercial point of view. The couple had proposed it when they left court six years ago, confident they could do it. But during an intense meeting at Sandringham, Queen Elizabeth had rejected all their requests without hesitation: “Either you are in or you are out”, she exclaimed indignantly.
Harry lost all his military positions and role at court
In the Royal Family it is not allowed to have a “half” role, Elizabeth II explained, supported by other Royal Seniors. It is not possible to choose what to do or not within the monarchy. And firm in maintaining solid the institutional coherence of the Crown, had forced Harry to give up his military duties and the possibility of acting in the sovereign’s stead. But now, with a much more permissive King Charles than his mother, the Sussexes are trying again. Taking back everything they had set out to do Megxit.
The reasons for the Sussexes’ sudden silence
First, the Sussexes have developed a strategy that aims to avoid further criticism of the Royal Family. In recent years, many accusations have weighed heavily, including that of racism against Meghan and little Archie, made during an interview given to Oprah Winfrey in spring 2021. Private conversations with i Royal revealed in docuseries Harry & Meghan, broadcast the following year by Netflix, they still chill Buckingham Palace.
And the relationship with William will hardly recover from the story, told inHarry’s autobiography Spare, of the violent argument between brothers in the Sussexes’ kitchen at Kensington Palace. But if they want to be welcomed back to court, even if only for a fleeting visit which could take place this year, Harry and Meghan agree: it’s better to stop washing dirty laundry in public.
Harry and Meghan in London for their final Royal engagement in 2020 (Getty Images)
Meghan doesn’t stop, but Harry stays behind
While they wait to be able to all get on a plane to London (William and Anna remain against welcoming them back into the family), Harry and Meghan focus on their projects. After all, their lifestyle requires tens of millions of euros every year and one of the consequences of Megxit it was also the renunciation of public funds. Meghan therefore continues to focus on the entrepreneurial activities of her brand As Ever and on the media onesand, such as podcasts and the lifestyle series created in collaboration with Netflix. However, Harry’s immediate future seems less certain.
Harry continues to do so spare. This time Meghan’s
Apart from them Invictus Gamesthe sports games dedicated to war veterans that he founded, so far the prince has not signed any particularly successful initiatives. The comments of some English journalists who defined the Sussexes as two rather mediocre characters will certainly have weighed on him. Harry, in particular, was baptized “the spare of Meghan”, forced to settle for an almost insignificant part in his wife’s ambitions. To redeem himself, he now knows that he would be better off going back to being a full-fledged prince (or almost). Hoping, however, that the Royal relatives will allow him.