Prince Harry has ‘no choice’ when it comes to staying in the states, says expert

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan infamously stepped down as working royals back in 2020. The pair were angry about the media attention they had been receiving, and there were alleged tensions within the Royal Family that also contributed to their decision. Since then, Prince Harry has set up a life for himself, Meghan and their two children Archie and Lilibet in Montecito, California.

Indeed, the town’s name even featured on Meghan Markle’s launch of her new lifestyle brand. However, following the concerning health updates regarding King Charles and Kate Middleton, there have been rumblings of a desire in Harry to return to the UK. Royal author and expert Tom Quinn has weighed in on this conversation.

Prince Harry has ‘no choice’ in the matter

Prince Harry, who recently lost his court case for automatic security in the UK, is rumoured to want to come back to the UK. He has openly spoken about wanting to come back to visit more often, and even recently expressed his love for his family on Good Morning America.

Quinn, who wrote Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family, told Daily Express US:

I’m sure Harry will stay in the states, at least as long as his marriage lasts because he doesn’t really have the choice to come back.

He said that, although Harry could come back as a private citizen, it wouldn't work out as he might hope.

What could happen if Harry returns?

Quinn pointed out that Meghan has said she will never go back to the UK, so that adds a complication for Prince Harry. Furthermore, he suggested that the Duke of Sussex would be a ‘lost figure’ because he wouldn’t be able to ‘do an ordinary job and won’t be offered work with the Royal Family’.

Quinn claimed that it would be ‘naive’ of Prince Harry to imagine a smooth return to his home country:

I think he genuinely believes that writing Spare and giving interviews in which he criticises his family doesn’t mean he has cut himself off from his life in the UK completely.

Quinn implies that the opposite is true. Indeed, the damage that Prince Harry's memoir caused to his relationship with his brother Prince William has been very well-documented. While some hoped that Prince Harry's return to the UK in May could lead to a reconciliation, an insider has said that this is very unlikely.

Quinn compares the prince’s trajectory to that of Edward VIII, who abdicated from the throne in 1936 and then hoped to be ‘offered an interesting and important job by the British government’. However, this is not how things panned out for him, and ‘Edward came to be seen as an embarrassment.’

Quinn suggests that a similar fate could await Prince Harry if he fails to recognise the reality of his situation.

Read more:

⋙ Prince William and Prince Harry: Here's everything you need to know about their feud

⋙ Royal expert claims Meghan Markle is behind Prince Harry and Prince William’s communication

⋙ Princess Kate and King Charles' have developed a sweet relationship over the years

Sources used:

Express: Prince Harry has 'no choice' but to stay in the US due to key reason

Express: Inside Prince Harry's UK return and why he may travel alone