The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Transition & Future

[poppy7]

The conversation turned to a Harry and Meghan with friends today and I was all worried for him. And they just went, he is a man, he did this to make himself and his wife happy if the marriage ends he will make a life for himself in Canada. That after they negated the fact he could ever return to the UK. They made their choice they said and they are not four. You live with your choices. I am being all protective of someone I don't know but then I am about everyone.

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I don’t know if he dropped his friends, but most of them live in the UK. Since Harry is now living mostly in Canada’, I think it is safe to say that at least he distanced himself from his friends and doesn’t see them quite as often.

A lot of his very close frinds had themselves moved abroad in recent years as they started to get married.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I don’t know if he dropped his friends, but most of them live in the UK. Since Harry is now living mostly in Canada, I think it is safe to say that at least he distanced himself from his friends and doesn’t see them quite as often.

He only moved there at most 2 months ago.. I don't know how it will work out, because I think he may miss the RF when they are a logn way away, but I don't think that Meghan will ever want to go back to Britian

Originally Posted by poppy7

Well he is obviously being quite naval grazing with his mental health concerns...in public. I don't think it is healthy. The conversation turned to a Harry and Meghan with friends today and I was all worried for him. And they just went, he is a man, he did this to make himself and his wife happy if the marriage ends he will make a life for himself in Canada. That after they negated the fact he could ever return to the UK. They made their choice they said and they are not four. You live with your choices. I am being all protective of someone I don't know but then I am about everyone.

Of course he could retrun to the UK.... I just dotn think that Meg would ever come back.. and so, if Harry really wants to, if their marriage starts to unravel under the strain.. I think he will be in England and she will settle in Canada or back in the USA. I feel that if his marriage did end, he might return to royal duties.

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by Denville

Of course he could retrun to the UK.... I just dotn think that Meg would ever come back.. and so, if Harry really wants to, if their marriage starts to unravel under the strain.. I think he will be in England and she will settle in Canada or back in the USA. I feel that if his marriage did end, he might return to royal duties.

Not that I want to bring up a 'what if' but my British friends were saying no we wouldn't have him back. I think people by and large are turning to support his decision...as long as he is gone. My own feeling was of course he can come back but public opinion is a long game battle. One he never got but one his brother and father do.

[QueenMathilde]

I think the only way Harry will return to the UK other than short visits is if he gets divorced.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by poppy7

Not the I want to bring up a 'what if' but my British frinds were saying no we wouldn't have him back. I think people by and large are turning to support his decision...as long as he is gone. My own feeling was of course he can come back but public opinion is a long game battle. One he never got but one his brother and father do.

I don't thnk that "British friends" can actually stop a member of the RF from returning to England. True that some people might not want him back on royal duties... but I suspect that the RF is thinking that if he comes back, with or withuot Meg, they will try and get him back to at last some royal duties as they are short of staff. But I suspect a single Harry might be easier to welcome bak

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by Denville

I don't thnk that "British friends" can actually stop a member of the RF from returning to England. True that some people might not want him back on royal duties... but I suspect that the RF is thinking that if he comes back, with or withuot Meg, they will try and get him back to at last some royal duties as they are short of staff. But I suspect a single Harry might be easier to welcome bak

Back on public duties is obviously what is meant. It would require the long game...but he hasn't been sho3n to be good at that.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by poppy7

Back on public duties is obviously what is meant. It would require the long game...but he hasn't been sho3n to be good at that.

its hard to say. I think that yes some of the public would not like the idea as he had walked out, but if he were back on his own, possibly Charles would try to gradually work him back into the royal duties schedules. After all he is now so short of people after losing Andrew, M and H all at once. And people might feel that Harry on his own would not have left, so that if he was back alone, he would be reasonably reliable. Or he might just come back and live here quietly, visit his son in Canada etc... but not go back on the rota...

Originally Posted by poppy7

We all do that with everyone we don't live with. We just don't call it appointments.

Of course he has to make appointments, she is the queen after all. and his father is POW and a busy man. If you are a working royal, your life's guided by a calendar and you can't usualy just drop in on each other without some knd of notice..

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by Denville

Of course he has to make appointments, she is the queen after all. and his father is POW and a busy man. If you are a working royal, your life's guided by a calendar and you can't usualy just drop in on each other without some knd of notice..

My point was. Does anyone? We just don't call it making appointments but they do because someone else manages their diary.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Denville

has he dropped his friends?

According to the tabloids. They claimed he dropped Adam only for him to turn up at polo with Meghan. They claiming Charlie is considering the Sussexes as God parents to his child while he has iced out Skippy. They know nothing especially when he was spotted during the summit at a bar with a bunch of those friends he apparently has axed.

[Mbruno]

I may be wrong , but I don’t think growing up in Canada or the US is in Archie’s best interest. I believe he would be better off growing up as a discreet member of the Queen’s extended family not unlike James and Louise for example. He could even give up his HRH when Charles is king, based on precedent if the title is a problem for him or his parents.

So I don’t quite agree that Harry had his family’s best interest in mind when he decided to move overseas. In fact, I suspect living in Canada is not even in Harry’s own best interest. It appears to me that the decision to move to North America was almost entirely to suit Megan’s needs rather than anybody else’s.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I may be wrong , but I don’t think growing up in Canada or the US is in Archie’s best interest. I believe he would be better off growing up as a discreet member of the Queen’s extended family not unlike James and Louise for example. He could even give up his HRH when Charles is king, based on precedent if the title is a problem for him or his parente

So I don’t quite agree that Harry had his family’s best interest in mind when he decided to move overseas. In fact, I suspect living in Canada is not even in Harry’s own best interest. It appears to me that the decision to move to North America was almost entirely to suit Megan’s needs rather than anybody else’s.

Harry too. If he is the one who is going to help earn them an income, I think it is something that they would be more likely to do in the USA than anywhere else. So they have to live there.. and if they live in Canada they are near the US and close enough to work there.

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I may be wrong , but I don’t think growing up in Canada or the US is in Archie’s best interest. I believe he would be better off growing up as a discreet member of the Queen’s extended family not unlike James and Louise for example. He could even give up his HRH when Charles is king, based on precedent if the title is a problem for him or his parente

So I don’t quite agree that Harry had his family’s best interest in mind when he decided to move overseas. In fact, I suspect living in Canada is not even in Harry’s own best interest. It appears to me that the decision to move to North America was almost entirely to suit Megan’s needs rather than anybody else’s.

Well it is certainly easier to grow up as a minor one of many than as the only one. Archie wouldn't even be that much of a deal in the UK. I mean there is a lot of extended royals running about and really only William and Harry were big deals in the same way only the Cambridge children will be really. Whereas in North America he would be the only one...which is perspective skewing. The UK would look,positively Romonov Russia for all the royals hanging about in comparison.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I may be wrong , but I don’t think growing up in Canada or the US is in Archie’s best interest. I believe he would be better off growing up as a discreet member of the Queen’s extended family not unlike James and Louise for example. He could even give up his HRH when Charles is king, based on precedent if the title is a problem for him or his parents.

So I don’t quite agree that Harry had his family’s best interest in mind when he decided to move overseas. In fact, I suspect living in Canada is not even in Harry’s own best interest. It appears to me that the decision to move to North America was almost entirely to suit Megan’s needs rather than anybody else’s.

Why not? What is wrong with him and his family being in Canada? Why would Archie being raised there not be in his best interest? Why should be be in the UK? What benefits would it bring? His parents aren't working royals. That is the case for James and Louise. Not like they have much choice there.

[poppy7]

Originally Posted by ACO

Why not? What is wrong with him and his family being in Canada? Why would Archie being raised there not be in his best interest? Why should be be in the UK? What benefits would it bring? His parents aren't working royals. That is the case for James and Louise. Not like they have much choice there.

I think it is just a comment about there being more attention on him there than in the UK where are are loads of royals. I could be wrong.

[acdc1]

Originally Posted by Denville

has he dropped his friends?

It's all just tabloid speculation, but several "sources" who claim to have once been close to Harry (take that as you will) have indicated that he distanced himself from his old friends once he got together with Meghan.

As our lives change and we move through different life stages, it's natural to grow away from people we were once close to. We have all had it happen at some point. Harry seems to have certainly calmed down from the "party boy" image that he was known for throughout his twenties into a solid family man, and perhaps his changing friendships have reflected that transformation (and I'm sure some of his "party boy" friends have calmed down as they're getting into the mid- and late-thirties, too).

However, something that I DO think is that Meghan didn't really fit in with Harry's circle (or, rather, former circle). I know she attended Ascot in 2018 and watched him play polo in 2019, but it doesn't seem like she'd really be into the whole horse racing, grouse shooting, polo watching traditional upper crust British scene that many of Harry's pals are in. I don't think that she has much in common at all with them, or with William and Kate, and it seems like her primary circle of friends (yogis, movie stars, lifestyle gurus, etc.) are in LA and Canada. I wonder if she has any close friends at all in the UK. It's been my belief from the get-go that one of the primary driving factors in the move to North America and stepping away from the royal life was simply that Meghan didn't like living in the UK, didn't have close friends, felt like she didn't fit in, and wanted to go back to where she felt most comfortable and at home. Perhaps Harry sensed that his wife wasn't happy around his group of friends and has decided to step out of those circles and into those where she feels happier.

[ACO]

Meghan has two very close friends in the UK -- Lucy and Lindsay. Misha also divides her time.

[acdc1]

Originally Posted by ACO

Meghan has two very close friends in the UK -- Lucy and Lindsay. Misha also divides her time.

That's two, maybe three friends. She seems like a very friendly person who enjoys being around those close to her. I'm an introverted person and even I would be very lonely with only two of my close friends plus a husband as my support system with all the rest of my close friends and family thousands of miles. Yes, I realize that people do it all the time (and I myself have done it), but it is very difficult.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by acdc1

That's two, maybe three friends. She seems like a very friendly person who enjoys being around those close to her. I'm an introverted person and even I would be very lonely with only two of my close friends plus a husband as my support system with all the rest of my close friends and family thousands of miles. Yes, I realize that people do it all the time (and I myself have done it), but it is very difficult.

I am sure it is not easy but she wasn't without any support. And even now where she is in Canada she isn't close to her friends there who are mainly in Toronto and LA. I have no doubt it was a major adjustment and is not one for Harry but I would guess it was more to it than lack of friends nearby. Her bestfriends have always been all over -- Genevieve in Chicago, Lindsey in NY/London, Heather in Texas, Benita, Abigail and Janina in LA, Jessica in Toronto.

[Betsypaige]

Originally Posted by poppy7

I think it is just a comment about there being more attention on him there than in the UK where are are loads of royals. I could be wrong.

I also think it’s sad that he won’t grow up with his grandfather, great-grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins...Yes, of course people do it all the time, but Skype is not the same thing as actually being there physically

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Betsypaige

I also think it’s sad that he won’t grow up with his grandfather, great-grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins...Yes, of course people do it all the time, but Skype is not the same thing as actually being there physically

He was growing up away from his maternal grandmother as well. And if the rift was as bad as claimed then he wasn't seeing much of them anyways. Hard to really tell what Archie is missing out on as we don't know what the state of any of these relationships were. And if he their bond is as important as some believe then they will work it out. Families live apart.