Harry, Duke of Sussex has lived under a microscope since the day he was born on September 15, 1984, but the past decade of his life has been one of incredible upheaval. He met Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, they married, and now they’re the parents of two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. He also released his best-selling memoir, “Spare,” and he threw some shade at the royal family in his book.
He got the ball rolling on what are arguably his biggest charitable ventures yet in the last 10 years too, as he and Duchess Meghan started The Archewell Foundation in 2020, and in 2014 (just a few days before his 30th birthday in fact) the very first Invictus Games commenced.
There have been many positive changes in Prince Harry’s life between 30 and 40, but there have been massive crises and tragedies that the Duke of Sussex has had to cope with too.
He lost his grandfather
Prince Philip tragically died on April 9, 2021. He was 99 years old, so the royal family likely knew the end was coming sooner rather than later, and living that long is an accomplishment for anyone. Still, it must have been difficult for Prince Harry, both because he was losing a beloved grandparent and because he was on the outs with the House of Windsor at the time.
The year prior, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their royal duties and moved to California, so that, combined with the COVID-19 lockdowns, means that Prince Harry likely didn’t have much opportunity to see his grandfather in the final year of his life.
In the aftermath of his death, Prince Harry released a loving tribute to Prince Philip, which in part read: ” … to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ’til the end.”
He lost his grandmother
The death of grandparents becomes an expected reality for many adults in their 30s, and living 96 years is an impressive run. Still, the death of Queen Elizabeth II came as a shock to the world, and must have been incredibly difficult for the Duke of Sussex. The queen died approximately a year and a half after her husband, Prince Philip, and she passed on September 8, 2022, a week before Prince Harry’s 38th birthday.
Prince Harry was still in touch with his grandparents despite living half a world away, explaining on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” that “Both my grandparents Zoom.” However, video chats still can’t make up for that genuine family connection, so being separated from his grandmother in the final years of her life couldn’t have been easy.
Prince Harry once again glowingly memorialized his late grandparent in a statement, which read in part: “I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over.”
He was involved in a massive lawsuit
Prince Harry may have left royal life behind in 2020, but that doesn’t mean that he left behind all of the difficulties that come along with being royalty. One of the biggest issues that the Duke of Sussex has had to publicly cope with in the past decade is the tabloid media intrusion on his life. Clearly, he and his family have always been a focal point, but Prince Harry discovered that the invasion into his privacy went far beyond the norm when the phone hacking scandal broke, and he decided to do something about it.
In 2019, Prince Harry sued News Group Newspapers and Mirror Group Newspapers for obtaining his personal voicemails and messages, and then using that information for their own publications. Prince Harry actually testified in court against MGN in 2023, and he settled with MGN in 2024. This clearly marked a significant victory for the Duke of Sussex, but the lawsuits still consumed five years of his life.
He left the royal family
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave the world the shock of a lifetime when they decided to step back from their royal duties. Meghan and Harry are proud to have left their royal lives behind, but this was another major speedbump throughout their relationship trials and tribulations that have essentially been nonstop since the couple went public.
After a ton of family drama on both the Markle and Windsor side, as well as a seemingly endless barrage of negative tabloid attention, Prince Harry and Princess Meghan decided to give up their roles as working royals and their “Royal Highness” titles in January of 2020. By March of that same year, the duo wrapped up their final public engagement and left the country.
Unsurprisingly, this move caused a rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family, but Harry and Meghan were clear that they felt this was a necessity for their safety and mental health.
He left the United Kingdom
Making a transcontinental move is no easy feat, especially when you’re super famous, especially when you’re in a pandemic, and especially when you’re not even sure where you’re going. According to their Netflix documentary, “Harry & Meghan,” the Sussexes were considering settling down in the Commonwealth country of Canada, but they had to make a snap decision when they were looking at a COVID-19 lockdown sans any royal security, and they ultimately made the choice to go to California in a matter of days.
Filmmaker Tyler Perry, of all people, came to Harry and Meghan’s rescue and gave the couple a place to stay while they found their own home in the United States. The ultimately found a beautiful mansion in Montecito and have seemingly settled in well, but only time will tell if this is their final stop on the seemingly endless rollercoaster that they’ve been thrown on since their relationship began.
In a statement given to the BBC regarding his upcoming birthday, Harry said: “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40.” And, it’s not hard to understand why, because regardless of what’s to come, few things could match the difficulties that he’s faced in the past 10 years.
