Will life after the Royal Family end well for Harry?

[Rainbunny]

I hope it works out for H&M but I'm afraid I don't see a happy ending for Harry ultimately. They got their freedom but not on the terms they were hoping for - as Harry has admitted and I wonder how Harry in particular will fare. He has to step down from his honorary military positions, now has no public duties and cannot use his HRH. In short, his status has dramatically diminished overnight.

I know there is talk of amazing deals with Netflix etc. but in all honesty, other than the fact he is a prince, what skills would he bring to the table for a post royal life? He's not a businessman and he doesn't have the accomplishments like say, the Obama's if he's thinking of paid speaking engagements or book deals (for that matter neither does Meghan). Their desire to still be part-time royals reflects the reality that they know their value came from being working royals. There will be a buzz around them for a limited time I think but I honestly see them fading from relevance after five years or so.

Sadly I think Harry will struggle to find meaning and duty in life if he can't convert this move into something fulfilling. He'll be self-exiled from the UK, far from family and friends with a diminished status as the royal who "quit" which may well bother him for the rest of his life.

Quite frankly I am sick to death of the vile bitching and assumption about a woman nobody has met or knows and I think folks should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for thinking they know everything that has happened when in fact they know nothing and haven't got a sodding clue.
Media and online brainwashing has a lot to answer for!

I agree @PortiaCastis and you really have wonder about the intellectual powers of people who consistently cite the tabloids or Blind Gossip as a source for their assumptions. The latter is a site that said you couldn't get avocados in Britain so I don't know why it's regarded as an authority!

None of us know Meghan's true character and I've nothing against her. But you do have to wonder why so many have nothing good to say about her. She's dropped all her family except her mother, dropped friends, the royal staff working for them dropped like flies and things were clearly frosty between her and William and Kate. You've got to wonder why.

How do you know so much about the womans family when all you have to go by is the media, what they print is usually fabricated

I gather that she never had a relationship with her half-siblings and they don't seem to have spoken to her father for years either, which makes you wonder about him. She had several old friends at her wedding and baby shower too.

And her staff didn't "drop like flies". The one departure that's cited the most is Samantha Cohen who had already given notice but agreed to stay an extra six months to help the Sussexes.

As for the frostiness with W&K, the two women looked fairly happy together at the tennis and H&K seem to get on well together so who knows?

I don't think they've got freedom at all. They aren't free to do whatever they want to do, they are still constrained but in many ways without the protections that they had as members of the RF.

They may well have money (though I doubt they have enough to finance the high life for the rest of their lives) but can you imagine living for the next 40 years with no purpose? That, I think, is where the problems will come from. What are they actually going to do?

As a pp said, I think press intrusion will get far worse. When was the last time in the UK that we saw Archie or that MM was papped? Yet suddenly in Canada it's been twice this week. Had they wanted to retire from the limelight somewhat I'm sure that roles could have been found for them, within the RF, doing work for their charitable foundation and continuing some engagements as members of the RF. This move just seems so very extreme and it seems hard to see how Harry is going to be happy when he's excluded himself from his family. I hope they are happy in their new life, I fear they won't be.

Who knows what they've git in their bank accounts and that is really nothing to do with anyone else, and who knows what they truly wanted because nobody knows them and pure assumption is not fact

What they've got in their bank accounts is our business if we have to fund them, in any way, shape or form.

PC might well give them an allowance via the Duchy but how much can he give them before he has to draw more money from is to.pay for him because he's giving more to H and M? How much is it costing us the tax payer to pay for their security? That has to be costing more than if they were living in the UK. So, right now, I think that's a legitimate question for us the tax payer to ask.

Yes I'm going by the media, as is everyone on here.
Several long standing members of staff are reported to have left, not just one.
She allegedly reduced Kate to tears and there were many photos of them looking uncomfortable together and reports of them not getting along.
William allegedly had concerns about Harry marrying her which is what started their rift.
Neither friends or family have spoken highly of her.
She announced her pregnancy on Eugenie's wedding day and their stepping down on Kate's birthday. Neither of which were particularly nice things to do.
Of course this is all just what's been reported and I'm aware it doesn't make it true.
Like I said, I don't know her and I've nothing against her. I hope it works out for them and if she makes Harry happy then that's all that matters.

None of us know Meghan's true character and I've nothing against her. But you do have to wonder why so many have nothing good to say about her. She's dropped all her family except her mother, dropped friends, the royal staff working for them dropped like flies and things were clearly frosty between her and William and Kate.

You've got to wonder why.

She was in contact with her father up until he tried to make money from the tabloids. His words were quoted, saying how lovely she had been towards him prior to the wedding. Can you imagine your own parent trying to sell their connection to you for money? And then sell private correspondence? And then decry you in the press to anyone who would pay them? Her half sister is someone else who wants to make money from the connection - she has said she wants to write a book about Meghan. The sister has swung between gushing praise and vile remarks. Again, hardly surprising they are estranged.

As for friendships, who knows? That's gossip rather than any direct statements Same goes for royal staff. None of us know what's gone on, how many have even left and why. As for the 'frostiness', again the causes of that could be down to so many things, we have no clue.

There has been so much rubbish on the royal threads, where there's a vacuum of information, people seem to make stuff up or believe Piers Morgan and the Mail. And of course it's always the wife's fault...

@ReprehensibleRita Of course, there's 2 sides and none of us know the truth.
I was just saying there seems to be a lot of negativity reported from those close to her. Often there's no smoke without fire, but yes some of these people will have agendas.
And no I definitely take no notice of Piers or the Fail

If he genuinely lives an independent life as a private citizen and doesn’t expect or accept the taxpayer funding his or his family’s lifestyle in any way, he will earn respect. The question is : does he have any real understanding of what this actually means?

If, as seems highly likely, he tries to retain many of the privileges of being royal while not doing any of the boring work which that position entails it will end badly for him.

The negativity comes from people who can make money by saying stuff about her. The press and family members for example. Always sells better.

No. Definitely not.

To OP.

I'm a huge fan of both of them, but am worried for them now they've lost the royal bubble. Hence the paparazzi pics today - it does seem like they have potential to get even more unwanted attention now, which would be a huge mental drain. Surely stepping back to the level of Edward and Sophie may have been a better option?

The press only create negative stories as unfortunately there are enough idiots around who crave fabricated news about anyone. Truthful, accurate, happy news items don’t sell.

Well said Parker and idiots who read it believe it.

I don’t think he will do well simply because he appears to have very little substance snd once the royal apparatus is stripped away he will be very exposed and somewhat useless.

The RF have said they will review in a year.

Personally I think he'll be back as a working Royal.
After a year out, and a year of just being a Dad, a complete break from the pressure. He'll probably have intense counselling sessions to deal with his Mental Health too.
I just can't see what he is going to do with his life outwith charity work or going back to the army. Various Royals have tried private enterprise and ended up with a complete conflict of interest. The RF are keen to avoid that mistake again hence the part-time status he wanted isn't happening.

Meghan probably has some acting role she has her eye on. And is unlikely to return to being a working royal other than looking pretty on his arm at the odd event.

I'm fairly sure they will want another baby asap. She doesn't have time on her side to wait.

The RF are going to need him as much as he needs them. HMQ is putting more stuff onto Charles, who in turn is leaning heavier on William and Edward.

Effectively the RF have lost a few in recent years. Prince Philip retired. HMQ must be ageing and thinking about retirement of some sort. Charles stepping up. Prince Andrew - enough said. Princess Anne very hard working but must be pushing 70 herself.
Prince Edward and Prince William are just about the only two still standing.

I find it very sad. Harry seems very happy when he's involved with the charities close to his heart but it's difficult to see how he can continue that work whilst somehow earning a living.

I gather that she never had a relationship with her half-siblings and they don't seem to have spoken to her father for years either, which makes you wonder about him. She had several old friends at her wedding and baby shower too.
Her father is estranged from all his children. Samantha Markle is estranged from all her children. I think that tells you enough about who they are.

They were always going to be side-lined somewhat when the order changes at the top, so it may eventually turn out to be a smart move to pe-empt the inevitable and get a head start on things. Especially when his fate/finances will rest in the hands of people who he doesn't (apparently) get on well with any more ie Wills and Charles.

The only other way to have tackled this would have been to be right in there as a foursome with his brother, being prepared to take a slightly secondary role, but backing his brother up to the hilt, and that obviously hasn't worked out. So it's full in, or full out.

I genuinely wish them well and hope that they can raise Archie out of the spotlight. I tend to think though that if your ultimate aim in life is for inner happiness , you tend to end up with the opposite. Personally, I think his mh might be better served through serving others, but that's an old-fashioned view perhaps. It could be that the set up of the RF with all the competition between palaces and attendant stiffs etc, is just too awful and this is a better option. I have experience of working in family businesses and it's not all tea and cakes by any means!

0 I wish them both well and I hope they are able to arrange it so that Archie grows up without horrible press intrusion. Call

Sadly I think not, he will be open to more press scrutiny that he had before, as there was an arrangement with the royals on privacy.

Definitely this. If they really wanted to go and live quietly it could probably be done. However they want fame and to do good or whatever. They will be absolutely hounded by the press, and I wonder if he will be able to cope with it. Meghan is presumably used to it since she is an actress.

Sorry got interrupted about three times while writing that hence the stray bit the end!