Prince Harry Didn't Know What He Got Until It Was Gone: Royal Historian
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to leave the royal family was probably not the best, according to a royal expert.
Tessa Dunlop, British historian, writer, broadcaster and author of "Elizabeth and Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage and Monarchy," weighed in on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to move to California four years after they quit their royal duties.
Dunlop believes that Prince Harry probably didn't see himself in his current position, with the royal expert noting he didn't know what he got until it was gone.
Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and Prince William laugh as they host a tea party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace to honour the children of those who have died serving in the armed forces on May 13, 2017 in London, England.
"That old adage 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone' is doubly true in Harry's case," Dunlop told Mirror UK.
"How could he realize the value of royalty when he wore it like a second skin? The showdown with his former life is not so surprising. He didn't buy a fast car (he had plenty of access to those), instead, he [was] kicked out at the institution that defined him (trapped him?) with [his] wife Meghan, his willing accomplice. If only they had bided their time."
Dunlop also noted that when Prince William's younger brother turned his back on the firm, he didn't just leave a job but his family too. Aside from losing the privileges of being a royal, the Duke of Sussex ended with a strained relationship with his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William.
He detailed his physical altercation with the Prince of Wales in "Spare" and called the monarch a cold father. Prince Harry also talked about his family in several interviews.
Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England.
"Since then, through publications and pronouncements, he's doubled down on that decision. Was it worth it? Only Harry and Meghan know the answer to that. Expect a more cautious year ahead from the Sussex camp," Dunlop said.
Daily Mail's royal editor Rebecca English spoke about the Sussexes' relationship with the royal family in one episode of "The Palace Confidential." For her, Prince Harry showed an "unprecedented" level of animosity toward the royals.
Prince William, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton smile as they take part in 'welly wanging', with children and representatives from charities and Aardman Animations, during a meeting of the Charities Forum at BAFTA on October 26, 2015 in London, United Kingdom.
"Yes, where he really drove home this unprecedented level of animosity toward his own family," English said. "The book was bad enough, but he didn't hold back in those interviews either. I mean, you know, he's very vitriol about the press, we're used to that, that comes with the territory. But I just think what, and I don't think he has done himself any favors here."
