Prince Harry, the Royal Who Walked Away
Harry Windsor is most known today as the prince who walked away from the British Royal family. From a bystander as the press chased his parents, to the most newsworthy royal, Harry is a tabloid star—often for the wrong reason. But now that he's broken the royal family shackles, he is ready to reveal all the secrets he couldn't before—and he isn't holding back. Here is the life of Prince Harry, including new details only now coming to light.
He Refused To Attend His Father's Coronation
Amidst all of the Royal Family drama, it was unsure if Harry and Megan would attend what is probably his father's, King Charles's, most important day of his life. On May 6th, Prince Charles was coronated to become King of England. However, reportedly Prince Harry sought an apology from his father ahead of the Coronation—otherwise, he wasn't attending.
Surprisingly, Harry showed up. He briefly visited his home country but quickly returned to California to be with Meghan and their children. Although he was invited to have lunch with his family after the ceremony, he declined. According to sources, the coronation was not intended as a day of reconciliation between Harry and his family, but pay of respects.
Prince Harry Is Welcomed Back To The Palace - Alone
Royal experts have reported that Prince Harry may be embraced back into the Royal Family with open arms—on the condition that he returns without Meghan Markle. Recent rumors have circulated regarding the strained relationship of Harry and Meghan. Some are even speculating that Harry might consider relocating back to the UK.
Diana Wanted a Normal Life For Harry
Harry was very close with his mother, Princess Diana. But, Diana and Prince Charles's rocky marriage soon turned into a public chaotic mess, creating a tough environment for Harry and William to grow up in. Although Diana knew that her sons had more of everything than other kids, she insisted on instilling some grounded values in them.
A Child’s Worst Nightmare
Only a year and a week after the divorce, the shocking and tragic news of Princess Diana’s death came. Harry was staying in Balmoral with his brother and father when he heard the news, and things went from bad to worse. Harry was just twelve years old, he’d lost his mother to a car accident, and the vultures of the tabloids descended on him and his family.
It would have been one thing for the press to have just hounded Diana’s ex-husband, then-Prince Charles, but Harry and William were caught in the crossfire too. Looking back, Harry has since stated that he struggled during this part of his life. He suffered from nightmares for years and even the sound of a camera shutter or the sight of a flash threw bad memories into his mind.
He Walked Behind the Coffin
Millions of people around the world watched Princess Diana’s funeral with tears in their eyes for the loss of the Princess of Wales, but especially, the heartache everyone could see in her grieving sons. Harry and William escorting her coffin were enough to make a grown man cry. Prince Philip reportedly told his grandsons, “If you don’t walk, I think you’ll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?”
Losing a close friend at that age is hard enough, but when the cause of death mirrored the demise of his own mother, that hit three times as hard. Harry showed his mettle and provided support to his friend’s family in their time of need. He also paid tribute to Henry by becoming a patron of a charity that was set up in van Straubenzee’s honor
His Real Father
In Harry's 2023 tell-all autobiography, he addresses the infamous rumor that he is the son of Princess Diana's former lover, James Hewitt. Prince Charles was the first to joke about it. 'Pa liked telling stories,' he writes that his father would say, '"Who knows if I'm really the Prince of Wales? Who knows if I'm even your real father? Maybe your real father is in Broadmoor, darling boy!"'
It was a remarkably unfunny joke, given the rumor circulating just then," Harry writes. "One cause of this rumor was Major Hewitt's flaming ginger hair, but another cause was sadism," Harry continues. 'Tabloid readers were delighted by the idea that the younger child of Prince Charles wasn't the child of Prince Charles. Harry then goes on to deny the rumors, admitting "the story was simply too good to drop
He Was Sent Away for Some Privacy
Harry was first educated at Jane Mynor’s nursery school and the pre-preparatory Wetherby School in London. When he was just seven years old, he was then sent off to Ludgrove School, a boarding school in Berkshire. Next, Harry passed the entrance exams and was admitted to Eton College, just as his brother William was, but controversy lurked around the cornerHarry completed his education at Eton in June 2003, but one of his former teachers made allegations that the “weak student” had cheated on his exams with the support of a “conspiracy” of Eton staff. The resulting panel didn’t clear up these accusations; it in fact "accepted the prince had received help in preparing his A-level 'expressive' project, which he needed to pass to secure his place at Sandhurst," and discussion of the matter ended.
He Had a Plan
Harry had developed an interest in the military while he was at Eton, but he was in no rush to join before having a little fun and character-building first. Harry took a gap year and spent three months in Australia working on the ranch of Annie and Noel Hill, who were friends of his mother’s.
Harry also visited Lesotho in South Africa and produced the documentary The Forgotten Kingdom, as well as taking a qualifying course to become a rugby coach. When he was ready to get back on with it, Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on May 8th, 2005. He was known as Officer Cadet Wales and he joined the Alamein Company.
He Met a Party Girl
While Harry was in Africa, he met a young woman by the name of Chelsy Davy. The daughter of a Zimbabwean landowner, Chelsy shared Harry’s interest in sport, adventure, and partying until all hours of the night. The newspapers immediately picked up on the relationship and did their usual thing of following people around.
Harry didn’t help matters when he’d get himself into trouble and bring the wrong attention his way while boozing the night away, but the fact remains people should have some privacy. Around the time of his 21st birthday, Harry said in an interview that he “would love to tell everyone how amazing she is but once I start talking about that, I have left myself open…There is truth and there is lies and unfortunately I cannot get the truth across.” After five years, the pair split up in 2009.
He Partied Like It Was a Competition
Thanks to all of his drunken stupors, Harry earned himself a reputation as the “wild child” of Princess Diana’s sons. Not only was he constantly being caught on camera guzzling booze and smoking weed, but he also got into fights with the paparazzi who were following him around. Many have attributed this behavior to his mother’s passing, but he was no stranger to partying before that.
Many people, including Harry, held their breath at what they thought would lead to a future royal wedding, but it wasn’t meant to be. Harry was smitten as a kitten with his new lady, but when Cressida came face to face with Prince William and Kate Middleton’s family, she decided the role of wife and mother wasn’t for her. Harry asked Cressida to reconsider, but she ended the relationship in April 2014.
Second Deployment
On September 7th, 2012, Harry arrived in southern Afghanistan to start a four-month combat tour as an Apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner. Just three days later, Harry’s life was publicly threatened. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told Reuters, "We are using all our strength to get rid of him, either by killing or kidnapping. We have informed our commanders in Helmand to do whatever they can to eliminate him."
Harry faced "the same risk as any other Apache pilot" while there, and he safely and successfully qualified as an Apache aircraft commander. When Harry returned home, he was asked how he jumps between his roles. He described his "three mess," set up as, "one in the army, one socially in my own private time, and then one with the family and stuff like that. So there is a switch and I flick it when necessary."
Wannabe Princesses
As a royal, wealthy man in uniform, Harry was no stranger to having a line of admirers trying to live out their dreams of becoming a real-life Disney princess. This idea became a reality in 2014 when an American reality TV show called I Wanna Marry “Harry” aired. Quite simply, twelve women competed for the affections of Prince Harry…or so they though
The truth of the matter was that it was all a ploy, and that “Harry” was actually an impersonator called Matthew Hicks. The show was canceled after airing only four episodes, and the remaining four were released on a few streaming platforms. UK channel ITV2 broadcast the whole series, but the ratings were nothing to get excited over.
Now That You’re 30…
Harry turned 30 in 2014, and one of his gifts was utterly heartbreaking. Little did he know, but Harry’s mother Princess Diana had stated in her will that Harry would receive something
of hers on his 30th birthday: her famous wedding gown.
Although it wouldn’t be the strangest item of clothing Harry had been seen in, the dress wasn’t directly for him and obviously handed down to Harry’s future wife, whoever that may be. That wasn’t all that he got - he also cashed in a sweet £12.9 million inheritance, too.
Trust No One
Throughout his entire life, the tabloids had made Harry’s life hell. One way or another, they’d gotten in the way, been caught following people in places they shouldn’t be, and of course, they were involved in the death of Princess Diana, Harry’s mom. This was something Harry would never be able to un-see, and it all came to a head in 2014 when Harry and his brother Prince William suspected there was a mole in their social group
Apart from discovering their friends hadn’t betrayed them, the truth was even worst than their suspicions. The reason that the media was getting ahold of information that nobody should have had access to was that reporters for the News of the World had tapped both Harry and William’s cellphones. Their concerns and momentary paranoia may have subsided around people, but they’d understandably be cautious around technology in the future.
When Harry Met Meghan
In July 2016, Harry started a relationship with an actress from America, Meghan Markle. By that November, Harry was using his then-princely powers to have his communication secretary release a statement regarding people talking about Meghan online and in the press. Harry was known for trying to avoid getting press, whereas his new lady was an actress by trade, so getting attention is a huge part of her job.
Despite their clash in this area, Harry and Meghan grew closer by the day, and they were thankful to the mutual friend who introduced them. That period between July and November had been nice for them to get to know each other. You know, before the tabloids were all over them constantly
They Moved Fast
During their first date, Harry had already asked for a second meeting with Meghan Markle. She agreed, and on that next meeting, Harry invited her on a trip to Botswana with him. With what sounded like the start of a Disney Princess movie, the pair vanished abroad for some alone time. However, that wouldn’t last…
The media were relentless with their coverage of Harry and Meghan; it was like they knew where they were going to be and at what time. Finally, Harry had enough and he released a statement pleading with the press to cease its “wave of abuse and harassment.” Other royals raised an eyebrow at this behavior, as Harry urgently and informally addressed the people in this manner. To the observant, it was obvious that Harry’s priorities were shifting.
Wedding Bells
The lovebird's engagement was announced on November 27th, 2017. Although catholic, Meghan was baptized to become a Roman catholic. She was also divorced, but the Anglican Church has permitted marriage to divorced persons with a living former spouse since 2002. They married on May 19th, 2018. With the combination of royalty and Hollywood, came a very glamorous wedding guest list...
Amongst non-royal notable guests were George and Amal Clooney, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, James Corden, Sir Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, James Blunt, Marcus Mumford, and wife Carey Mulligan. Meghan's Suits co-stars were there as well as Serena Williams and Oprah Winfrey. Two of Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy, were also invited. That was a nice gesture, as long as it wasn’t just to rub their noses in it!
Falling For Meghan Through Diana (And Her Jewelry)
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with their mother’s former engagement ring. However, the ring wasn’t originally meant for Willam’s future bride, as it was initially left to Harry. Meghan didn’t have to worry about missing out though, because Harry proposed to her with something just as fancy. The central piece in Harry’s engagement ring to Meghan was from Botswana and the two other diamonds were from Prince Diana’s collection
But that may not be the only way Harry chose to honor his beloved late mother. According to Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, Harry might have fallen for Meghan in the first place because of her and Diana's similar personalities. "Harry went for and married Meghan because she's like Diana," he reportedly said claimed. "Both women who would always stand up for what they believe in and wouldn't be pushovers." Still, Paul doesn't think that means they'd be besties. "I think, possibly, they would have clashed," he continued. "I imagine it would have been two strong, independent women with different views on things—it would have been a battle between Meghan's way and Diana's way."
They Had Roommates
Harry and Meghan were going to have to wait a little while if there were expecting to jump straight into their own lives together. Their first official home was on the grounds of Kensington Palace, and they weren’t alone. Harry and Meghan had to share living space with Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children!
Who’s to Blame?
In time, cracks began to emerge in the relationship between Harry and Prince William. Maybe it was the time they spent living together. Perhaps it was the fact that their wives could never seem to hit it off properly. Or maybe they’d both just gotten older and drifted apart. Only they’ll ever truly know the answer, but there was one incident that might hold some of the blame.
In 2019, a rumor began to make the rounds that William was having an affair with a woman named Rose Hanbury. When Harry heard the news he confronted his brother and was furious with him. Harry was recently married and he still remembered all the problems his parents’ cheating ways caused, so it’s no wonder he was so emotional. All parties denied the affairs and falling out, but there was now an obvious rift between the brothers.
They Dumped the Queen for Oprah
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they were leaving the royal family! They moved to America in an effort to ensure their privacy, saying "This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter."
They also boasted big things in their future including a podcast, documentaries, and TV shows. However, they got a bit too excited and forgot to tell the Queen about their decision before they went public. Due to how quickly Harry and Meghan appeared in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, there’s a good chance that Oprah knew what was going on before the Queen did.
He Torpedoed His Relationship With The Royals
The palace released a statement saying they accepted Harry and Meghan’s choice, but sources, say that as of 2023, the former prince and the royal family are not on good terms. Harry, along with six other claimants, including Sir Elton John, are suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail, of invading their privacy by using private detectives who intercepted their calls and voicemails and even put tracking and listening devices on cars and in homes.
In 2023, an official Buckingham Palace report confirmed that Harry and Meghan have officially packed up all of their belongings and moved out of Frogmore Cottage. It appears that today, Montecito, California, is the ex-royal's full-time, and only, home.
They Plan to Tell All
Harry and Prince William had drifted further and further apart by this time, and there was even an ITV documentary made on the story. Although, after their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on September 8th, 2022, Harry and Prince William were seen together again. The future is uncertain between the two brothers, but their shared loss may be a bittersweet bridge to get back into each other’s lives.
On the other hand, too much water may have passed through that bridge, and it may only be a matter of time before we all find out the details. Harry (and to an extent, Meghan) has a book called Spare due out revolving around their marriage and new life together away from the royal family. It was originally due for release in August 2020, but several delays have disappointed fans and they must now wait until 2023. And it's not just fans that are waiting - according to Esquire, the royal family is apparently "shaken up" and "nervous" about what might be contained inside...
