On June 5, the Duke of Sussex would have celebrated the 12th anniversary of his first solo engagement as a working member of the royal family.
AN EXPERIENCE HARRY WILL NEVER FORGET
It was on June 5, 2008 when Prince Harry conducted his first royal engagement by visiting a hospital in Wales. Harry, who was only 23 at that time, was greeted by well-wishers waiting outside Cardiff’s University Hospital.
His visit was made even more remarkable when he engaged in an intimate conversation with one of the elderly patients in the hospital. The Queen’s grandson took the time to hold the patient’s hand and say kind words.
The young Prince even had a chance encounter with a newborn baby, whose mother got a bit too excited to see the royal in person. Overall, Prince Harry did very well for his first solo engagement for the royal family.
Both Harry and his older brother William have been crowd darlings since they were young. Their late mother Prince Diana would always have them in tow in royal engagements whenever she could.
His first solo duty as a member of the royal family came months after Harry was first deployed in the army to Afghanistan. When he returned to the U.K., he was promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry.
Prince Harry’s career with the army lasted for 10 years, including two tours in Afghanistan. He retired in the army in 2015 to work as a senior member of the royal family.
The year 2008 was indeed a memorable year for Prince Harry. The 12th year celebration of his many firsts would have been significant if not for the coronavirus pandemic that has everyone in lockdown.
At the moment, Prince Harry is with his wife Meghan Markle and their 1-year old son Prince Archie. They are in their new home in Los Angeles and are strictly following government-mandated quarantine.
GETTING OUTSIDE OF HIS COMFORT ZONE
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their bombshell announcement at the beginning of this year, everyone wondered what life would be like for the Duke of Sussex. After all, he grew up with all the royal traditions guiding him every step of the way.
It was no surprise when news of him missing his home came out. Royal expert Tom Quinn, in his new book “Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle,” detailed how truly challenging it was for Harry to move to Los Angeles.
While Meghan may be very happy to live close to her mother, Prince Harry is reportedly suffering from homesickness. He left his family and his entire life in London to be with the woman he loves. While everyone agreed it was a brave move, people could not help but worry about him.
Andrew Morton, a royal biographer, also weighed in on Harry’s adjustment in the U.S. He spoke with The Times and shared what the Duke of Sussex would find most challenging in his new life.
“(The couple) will have to get used to the paparazzi and in Hollywood, the gloves will be off. The paparazzi would be aggressive and Harry won’t like that” Morton warned.
What will the future be like for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle outside of the royal family? Will their marriage survive it? Fans are hopeful that the couple would be able to see things through.