Harry, Duke of Sussex, has been under the spotlight since his birth on September 15, 1984, but the last decade has been filled with incredible turmoil. He met Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and they married. They now have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. He also published his best-selling memoir, “Spare,” which included some shade about the royal family.
He also launched his most significant humanitarian projects in the previous decade, as he and Duchess Meghan established The Archewell Foundation in 2020, and the first Invictus Games began in 2014 (only a few days before his 30th birthday).
Between the ages of 30 and 40, Prince Harry’s life saw many positive developments, but he also had to deal with huge ᴄʀɪsᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀɢᴇᴅɪᴇs.
He lost his grandfather
The terrible ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ of Prince Philip occurred on April 9, 2021. He was 99 years old, so the royal family probably knew the end was near, and living that long is an accomplishment for anyone. Nonetheless, it must have been terrible for Prince Harry, both because he was losing a beloved grandparent and because he was at odds with the House of Windsor at the time.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had stepped down from their royal duties the previous year and relocated to California, so that, combined with the COVID-19 lockdowns, meant Prince Harry had little opportunity to see his grandfather in his final year of life.
Following Prince Philip’s ᴘᴀssɪɴɢ, Prince Harry published a heartfelt tribute to him that included the following passage: “… to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ’til the end.”
He lost his grandmother
Many adults in their 30s accept the ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ of their grandparents as a given, and living 96 years is an astounding feat. Still, the ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ of Queen Elizabeth II sh0cked the globe and must have been extremely traumatic for the Duke of Sussex. The queen ᴅɪᴇᴅ about a year and a half after her husband, Prince Philip, on September 8, 2022, one week before Prince Harry’s 38th birthday.
Despite living half a world away, Prince Harry remained in touch with his grandparents, revealing on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” : “Both my grandparents Zoom.” However, video chats cannot replace a genuine family bond, so being separated from his grandma in her final years must have been difficult.
In a statement, Prince Harry expressed gratitude to his late grandmother, saying, “I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over.”
He was involved in a massive lawsuit
Prince Harry may have left royal life in 2020, but that does not mean he has left behind all of the challenges that come with being royalty. The tabloid media’s intrusion into the Duke of Sussex’s life has been one of the most serious challenges he has had to deal with in public over the last decade. Clearly, he and his family have always been a focus point, but when the phone hacking incident surfaced, Prince Harry realized that the invasion of his privacy had gone well beyond the norm and resolved to take action.
In 2019, Prince Harry filed a lawsuit against News Group Newspapers and Mirror Group Newspapers for acquiring his personal voicemails and texts and utilizing that material in their publications. Prince Harry testified in court against MGN in 2023 and reached a settlement with them in 2024. This was undoubtedly a huge triumph for the Duke of Sussex, but the cases took up five years of his life.
He left the royal family
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shocked the world when they announced their decision to step down from their royal obligations. Meghan and Harry are glad to have left their royal lives behind, but this was yet another big setback in their love trials and tribulations, which have been almost relentless since the couple became public.
After a lot of family conflict on both the Markle and Windsor sides, as well as a seemingly never-ending storm of unfavorable tabloid publicity, Prince Harry and Princess Meghan decided to step down from their responsibilities as working royals and their “Royal Highness” titles in January of 2020. By March of that year, the couple had completed their final public appearances and had left the nation.
Unsurprisingly, this decision sparked a schism between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family, but Harry and Meghan made it plain that they believed it was necessary for their safety and mental health.
He left the United Kingdom
Making a transatlantic transfer is a difficult task, especially when you’re famous, amid a pandemic, and have no idea where you’re heading. In the Netflix documentary “Harry & Meghan,” the Sussexes considered settling in Canada. However, due to a COVID-19 lockdown and lack of royal security, they decided to relocate to California in a few days.
Tyler Perry, a filmmaker, stepped in to support Harry and Meghan find a place to live in the United States. They eventually found a gorgeous mansion in Montecito and appear to be settling in well, but only time will tell if this is the end of the apparently never-ending rollercoaster ride that has been their relationship.
In a BBC interview, Harry expressed excitement for his forthcoming 40th birthday, stating, “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40.” And it’s easy to see why: few things could compare to the struggles he’s endured over the last decade.
