Prince Harry spends a fair amount of time ‘battling old demons’, expert claims
While Prince Harry enjoys family life in the US and his humanitarian work, his bond with Prince William is reportedly beyond repair.
Prince Harry, who stepped back from royal duties four years ago, continues to “battling old demons”, according to Roya Nikkhah, royals editor for The Sunday Times and co-host of the podcast The Royals with Roya and Kate.
Nikkhah told Fox News Digital that Harry has been doing “a fair amount of looking back” as he grapples with ongoing challenges from his royal exit. “He’s got various court cases still ongoing here,” Nikkhah explained. “I think we may see him back at the beginning of next year, which sort of pulls him back into… an old bit of his life that was very difficult for him.”
“He loves his family life out in the States,” Nikkhah noted. “He’s thrilled to be a dad.” However, she noted the Duke’s ongoing journey to carve out “a really meaningful role” for himself on the global stage. He has found a sense of purpose through the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded veterans that he founded in 2014. “The Invictus Games is fantastic, and he does great work there,” she said and suggested, Harry seems focused on establishing a lasting impact, especially as “a humanitarian.”
ALSO READ| Prince Harry ‘unlikely’ to return for National Remembrance Ceremonies, Royal expert predicts
Rift between Harry and William ‘certainly beyond repair’
Nikkhah's earlier reporting in The Times around Harry's 40th birthday in September explored the costs of his move to California, including the strain on his relationships with his family. His close bond with his brother, Prince William, is reportedly “almost certainly beyond repair,” while his relationship with King Charles has been described as “strained to [a] breaking point.”
“They’re estranged,” The Sunday Times confirmed. “They don’t speak… They haven’t spoken for more than two years, sadly.”
Sources close to Harry also claim he seems torn “between battling old demons and getting on with his life.” One former adviser told Nikkhah, “All he does is spend time looking back… If only he could wrench his neck around and look forward.”
“I don’t see that happening at all. I don’t think it’s wanted by him, and it’s certainly not wanted by the royal family.” Nikkhah pointed out that Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step down in 2020 was made with an understanding from the late Queen Elizabeth that they could not be "half in, half out" as royals.
“I just don’t get the sense from Harry or anyone around him that that’s what he wants,” she said.
ALSO READ| Prince Harry speaks out after missing Remembrance Sunday, ‘At a time of global uncertainty…’
Still, Harry has been back in the UK occasionally for specific causes. He’s made appearances at events he deeply cares about, including the WellChild Awards, which he has supported for years, and the Invictus Games, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last summer. “He looks very energized and happy when he’s back here doing that,” Nikkhah observed.