It seems the Duke of Sussex is finally moving on. Prince Harry has officially listed the United States as his primary residence, but it took more than four years after he jet-setted thousands of miles to start a new life.
It was a cold January when Prince Harry and his wife announced they were stepping down as senior members of The Firm. The royals explained they were moving away to become more financially independent while supporting the monarchy. Meghan Markle, Harry and their son Archie at the time said they’d split their time between North America and the UK, but it would end up being a permanent switch, with the Duke only making fleeting visits back to his homeland over the next four years. But it took Prince Harry all this time to list his official residence as the United States.
Prince Harry updates his residence to the United States
A branch of the British government, Companies House, published filings that relate to the registration of businesses.
On Monday, April 15, filings show Prince Harry listed his new country of residence as the United States, despite the celebrity couple living in their Montecito mansion in California for almost four years. The update was changed last summer, June 29, previous records show Harry noted the United Kingdom.
When Harry and Meghan announced they were leaving, they first stayed in Canada. The country holds a place in the former TV star’s heart, as she would film the legal drama Suits in Toronto.
After some time, with the royals’ concerned over their privacy, they moved in temporarily with billionaire TV mogul, Tyler Perry.
They began house hunting and found their new spot a short drive from Tinsel Town, said to have put down $13.5m.
At the time of their announcement, the Sussexes intended to support the then Queen Elizabeth II, stating they would honor their duty to Her Majesty and “raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born”.
Since crossing the Atlantic, they were stripped of their royal titles – His and Her Royal Highness – and the late monarch told the pair they couldn’t have a ‘half in half out’ approach. They did not carry out any more official duties for the palace, and have instead been building their own ventures. Harry and Meghan conducted an interview with Oprah, and the 42-year-old released a short series on Spotify.
The duo paired up for a six episode Netflix series, speaking about their time in The Firm, and 39-year-old Harry, brother to Prince William, released a bombshell memoir in January 2023.
Pressure is rising
Prince Harry’s change of residence comes as President of the United States Joe Biden is feeling pressure from campaigners who want the Duke’s visa application to be made public. A US ambassador has said Biden won’t deport the prince, but opposing candidate Donald Trump vows he wouldn’t ‘protect him’.
The calls for his visa to be released sparked concerns from a conservative think tank after the Duke admitted using drugs in his memoir.
Now, Harry’s visa has been handed over to a judge who will make a decision on whether they’ll be made public. This is said to have left the prince feeling ‘anxious’, according to unofficial reports.
Donald Trump on the other hand has been vocal about his feelings.
He claimed: “I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.”
Harry admitted to using cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his own book.
Royal ties fraying
Prince Harry changing his residence in the updated filings, shows much more than him admitting he now lives in the United States.
Over the past four years, his ties to The Firm appear to be snapping. First, he claimed his dad King Charles cut him and his family off financially in the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview. Harry said he had to use his mother’s, Princess Diana, inheritance to purchase their mansion and pay for security.
The duo, who share Archie and Lilibet together, were later asked to leave Frogmore Cottage – an estate gifted by the late Queen. Although the name may offer a cozy feel, it’s actually a large compound anyone would desire.
They hadn’t been living at the property since leaving the UK, and eventually paid back the $3m in renovations they carried out from the Crown’s purse when they were there.
In August last year, less than 12 months after the Queen had died, the palace removed Harry and Meghan’s HRH titles from the website. But they still have Prince, as well as Duke and Duchess of Sussex – as the Sussex title was a gift from the late queen for their wedding, when Meghan was his blushing bride.
Meghan does have a title of her own, Princess Henry, but chooses not to use it. Not all royals do, but Princess Michael of Kent does. She is the wife of Prince Michael, who is the Queen’s first cousin.
The duo lost their patronages, which is believed to have upset Harry, as he was passionate about the military after serving in the UK’s Armed Forces. Harry’s role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands’ Small Ships and Diving were taken away.
Although Prince Harry still listed his official residence as the UK despite being in the United States for years, their first statement announcing their departure included hope to keep their royal links. However, just a year after flying away, they confirmed they wouldn’t be returning to working members of The Firm.
Brothers’ feud lingers
Aside from official links to the palace, Harry has dealt with a rift on a more personal note too.
Prince Harry has claimed his relationship with brother William has struggled over the years – before the United States move, William and wife Kate Middleton split their time between London and Norfolk residences as the Prince and Princess of Wales.
In his book, he alleged he got into a physical altercation with the heir to the throne. He also claimed his family didn’t shower Meghan with love after they became engaged, concerned she was an actress. Even though, the Duke admitted he mistook Meg for a Hollywood diva himself before their first date.
The 39-year-old wrote about a heated discussion after their grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral, and claimed he was left out of being told the Queen had died.
Meghan doesn’t seem to feel any connection, as she avoids returning to the UK she once called home. The starlet has only visited a handful of times, not related to official capacity, but did attend the Queen’s funeral as the pair were already in the country when she passed.
But the Suits actress didn’t make the journey to support King Charles’ coronation.
If we take a step back, it seems Prince Harry is truly moving on after all that’s happened, United States may be listed as his residence, but the UK is no longer his home, either.
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