Prince Harry has broken his silence on divorce rumours, having candidly addressed his personal life in a frank conversation with press.
The 40-year-old was speaking to reporters at the 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit, when NYT columnist and DealBook founder Andrew Ross Sorkin asked him about speculation around his relationship with wife Meghan Markle - something that has been rife recently.
The couple, who have been married for six years and share two children, have had tongues wagging after people noticed they are rarely seen together in public anymore.
They attended a stream of events solo after returning from Colombia back in August, leaving fans wondering what's going on behind the scenes.
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Alluding to Markle's plans to attend a gala in Beverly Hills yesterday, Sorkin said to Harry: “I Google News-ed you, and there were people fascinated by everything you’re doing, all the time. They’re fascinated by Meghan is in California right now, and you’re here."
He added: “And there’s articles left and right about, you know, ‘Why are you making, doing independent events? Why aren’t you doing them together?’”
But Harry hit back with a blunt - and valid - explanation.
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“Because you invited me, you should have known!” he said with a laugh.
Concern was first sparked when Markle was seen out on her own in Los Angeles back in October, celebrating the hair care brand launch of her colourist friend, Kadi Lee.
Weeks later, Harry also appeared at a Canadian Football event in Vancouver to promote the upcoming Invictus Games in January, pointedly without his other half. Spectators at the tournament couldn’t help but wonder at the time why Meghan was absent, especially considering her close ties to Canada after previously filming the hit law drama Suits. At the time, Harry explained she'd remained in California - hardly too surprising, given they have Archie and Lillibet at home.
Harry went on: "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?"
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Shifting to a less light-hearted tone, he also spoke about the speculation he has faced ever since he was a child, having been born into the limelight.
"I've had a lived experience since I was a kid, I've seen stories written about myself that aren't exactly based on reality," Harry said.
"I've seen stories about members of my family, friends, strangers, all sorts of people.
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"And I think when you grow up within that environment, you do find yourself questioning the validity of the information but also what other people are thinking of that as well, and how dangerous it can be over the course of time."
"The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls. Their hopes are just built and built, and it's like, 'Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,' and then it doesn't happen. So I feel sorry for them. Genuinely, I do."
Topics: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Royal Family
Jess Hardiman