The Sussexes are struggling to make a success in the US, according to one of Princess Diana’s former friends, who believes it’s time for Harry to consider heading back home
Life in America hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Prince Harry and Meghan. Just this week, Harry was dragged into yet another controversy after his office announced that he would be travelling to Canada for a string of engagements with veterans to mark the Remembrance period in a clash with his estranged brother, Prince William.
The announcement raised eyebrows as it came just minutes after William kicked off his eagerly-waited first trip to Brazil. But at the time, a spokesman for the Duke of Sussex said that the Palace had been made aware of the upcoming tour. However, according to The Times, recollections varied. A source told the publication it was “a bit rum” to say that the Palace had been informed, and claimed neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace received any advance warning.
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It’s the latest in a long string of dramas since Harry and Meghan quit royal life in 2020 and moved to the States. While initially welcomed with open arms, their popularity has taken a battering over the years – and many people question what the future holds for the couple as they attempt to straddle the business and entertainment world. According to one of Princess Diana’s former friends, it could be time for her youngest son Harry to throw in the towel and head back home.
Royal expert Tina Brown believes that the Sussexes are in a ‘sad’ predicament in America. In an interview with the New York Times, she brutally suggested that Harry has been reduced to ‘just some guy doing PR gigs’.
She also referenced the recent debacle over Harry and Meghan’s appearance at Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday bash, which was overshadowed by mystery after pictures of the couple were deleted from social media. Describing the couple as ‘pariahs’ in America, Ms Brown told the publication: “I have never seen anybody in professional life make as many mistakes as Meghan has. And unfortunately, Harry is not the brightest bulb.
“He thought that Meghan would be his guide in the big wide world beyond Buckingham Palace, and it turns out that Meghan makes one terrible professional decision after another. And now they are sort of pariahs everywhere, it seems, which is a very difficult situation for them because America was supposed to be the place which paid the bills,” she said.
However, Tina noted that Harry was also very good at being a Prince, describing him as ‘charming’, ‘upbeat’, and ‘good with young people’. But, she believes, he has come to that realisation too late. “It looks more and more as if Harry’s best decision would be to find a way to come back to England. I’d like to see a way for him to make amends with his family, but it gets harder and harder as the years go by,” Tina said. “I think that William is going to be the decider of that, and I think William has a very tough view of the whole situation, which is that the betrayal of Harry is not something that can be remedied’.
It comes after Harry penned an extraordinary essay on what it means to be British, despite quitting the UK and walking away from royal duties more than five years ago. His 647-word piece, titled ‘The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British – By Prince Harry – certainly raised eyebrows among royal watchers. But some experts believe it also contained a clue he might be considering moving back to the UK.
Communications specialist Judi James pointed to one paragraph in particular, which reads: “Though currently, I may live in the United States, Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for. The banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands ridiculous as it sounds, these are the things that make us British. I make no apology for it. I love it.”
Judi told the Mirror: “The use of the word ‘currently’ sounds negotiable, appearing to hint at a return to the UK. It’s a word that leaves things open, like: ‘I’m currently single’ would imply a desire to get married or ‘I’m currently unemployed’ would suggest someone is searching for work.”
The expert concluded: “Harry’s choice of wording hints that he’s not only possibly homesick but that a return of some sort might be on the horizon.” Harry has made no secret of his desire to reunite with his family – but many have questioned whether there is any way back for the duke, who has so publicly hit out at his family on a number of occasions.
In September, the King agreed to see Harry for the first time in over than a year. Their meeting lasted 55 minutes, although experts suggest the King would have remained tight-lipped over fears of leaks.
Days later, Harry sat for an interview with The Guardian, which has been famously critical of the monarchy and, in a 2000 editorial, even advocated for its abolishment. He insisted his “conscience is clear” following his revealing memoir Spare, asserting that he did not air his “dirty linen in public”.
Harry has previously said his family is unable to visit the UK because of concerns over their safety. In May 2025, he gave yet another interview in which he said he was “devastated” at losing a legal challenge over his security in the UK.
Harry also told the BBC that the King “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff”, but said he did not want to fight any more and did “not know how much longer my father has”. Speaking after the court ruling, the Duke stated: “I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”
He added that the decision to remove his automatic security entitlement after he decided to quit royal life impacts him “every single day”, and has left him in a position where he can only safely return to the UK if invited by the Royal Family since he would get sufficient security in those circumstances.
