The prospect of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving the United States has been dangled by reports in the British media. Many of us Americans are buoyant. The Daily Telegraph and the Sun reported that their children will begin British schooling in September. The family will occupy a private house outside London, keep their California and Portuguese homes and remain non-working royals. The King learned of the plan only on Sunday. He welcomes private time with his grandchildren, yet the late Queen’s boundary still stands: no half-in, half-out arrangement.
How things have changed in the six years since the Sussexes left Britain. Harry’s arrival in America in 2020 was met with considerable curiosity and some excitement, which he has since squandered.
The Sussexes arrived as exotic refugees. They leave as washed up, self-possessed Hollywood grifters
Harry and his wife invaded American political debates on election integrity, family leave and other partisan questions, despite having no mandate or expertise to do so. He spoke dismissively of the First Amendment, calling the constitutional guarantee at the heart of American free speech “bonkers.” Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK’s Reform party, noted at the time that Harry had “lost the plot” and would soon be unwanted on either side of the Atlantic. How prophetic he was.
