A veteran royal expert has declared “I believe Prince Harry” when he says he is happy, after the estranged Duke of Sussex made a light-hearted dismissal of persistent divorce rumours with Meghan Markle.
Former BBC royal correspondent and veteran commentator Jennie Bond claimed that the Duke’s childhood traumas have left him “damaged” and urged people to “stop making trouble in a marriage we know nothing about.”
At a literary event in New York, Harry, 40, joked about the relentless media speculation, remarking, “Apparently we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what?” He conceded, however, that it proves a struggle to deal with such constant rumours. He said it was “hard to keep up with”.
Expert Jennie linked Harry’s public struggles to his character and past, telling OK!: “Harry is stubborn. And he is also understandably damaged by what happened to his mother. Who can blame him for being so protective about his wife and children?”
She highlighted the lasting impact of Princess Diana’s death on Harry and expressed understanding for his perspective on the media and online trolls, adding: “I have some sympathy with his despair about the media…and social media in particular, with the trolls who peddle unsourced nonsensical rubbish about his marriage.
“He says he is happy. I believe him. Let’s stop trying to make trouble in a marriage we know nothing about.”
As a former soldier who served in Afghanistan, Harry’s security concerns are not unfounded, but his actions, including trips to Nigeria and Colombia with Meghan, have been seen as contradictory.
By confronting the Home Office over security issues, Harry shows resolve, yet this may put further pressure on his relationship with his father, King Charles, Jennie observed.
Prince Harry has been locked in a legal dispute over the removal of his security detail in the UK, a decision made after he moved to California in 2020. He was recently granted permission to challenge this decision in the High Court and has spoken out about his concerns on several occasions.
The Duke of Sussex has stated: “All it takes is one lone actor, one person who read this stuff, to act on what they have read, and whether that is a knife or acid … they are genuine concerns for me, they are one of the reasons I won’t bring my wife back to this country [the UK].”
