Royal Author Claims Harry Wasn't Happy Being a Prince and Saw Meghan Markle As a 'Way Out'

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry visited One World Observatory on Sept 23, 2021, in NYC.
April 20 2025, Published 1:15 p.m. ET
A royal author once claimed that Prince Harry allegedly did not like his royal life much and felt trapped by duty and tradition. According to insiders, he saw Meghan Markle not just as his life partner, but also as a way out—to start a new life, one removed from the pressures of being a prince. Markle, who married Harry in May 2018, spent just 18 months as a working royal. The pair stepped down from their roles in 2020 and began a new life in Los Angeles.
As reported by the Daily Express, in 2022, Andrew Morton, on the Pod Save the Queen podcast, shared, “They (Harry and Meghan) were thinking about living in New Zealand, and they even spoke to the Prime Minister of New Zealand about this. So they had all kinds of plots and thoughts for their future.” As reported by The Mirror, he added, “It didn't work out because when it actually comes down to it, Prince Harry is cursed with charisma but hates being a prince, and I think that he saw Meghan as a way out.”
Morton added, “Prince Harry was and is a natural. He and his wife have charisma, and there is no denying that people do respond to them in a very positive way when they meet them. There is obviously a lot of negativity surrounding their behavior and their policies, but Harry has always been someone who connects.” Since his move to the US, Harry hasn’t shown any signs of making his way back to working for the Firm. Morton also believes that late Queen Elizabeth II likely understood and respected Harry and Markle's decision to step down from their royal duties, especially because they had just become new parents at the time.
He explained, "The Queen had always been very understanding of anybody who wants to step back for a few years and just enjoy family life because you're a long time being a royal." Previously, during an interview, Harry himself admitted about his life in the US, "I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here. It’s a part of my life that I never thought I was going to live.” Harry shared that his current life feels like the one his mother, Princess Diana, had always dreamed he’d have—one with freedom, joy, and space to be a hands-on dad.
The simple things, like spending more time with his children, would’ve been nearly impossible with the hectic royal schedule. And for that, Harry said, he's deeply thankful. However, Harry admitted that he initially never wanted to fully leave his royal duties. At first, he and Markle wanted to split their time between the U.K. and America. But unfortunately, things didn’t work out as the late Queen wanted them to be, either fully in or fully out, as reported by Newsweek.