Harry is now 40, a turning point for many people, at a crossroads where he is looking back at his past and considering possibilities for the future.
From the moment he first appeared in Princess Diana's arms outside a London hospital in 1984, Harry was a cheeky red-headed boy who playfully stuck out his tongue at photographers.
Growing up, he made headlines for his controversial Nazi costumes and later made a dramatic departure from royal life, moving to Southern California with his American wife.
All the while, Harry seemed to rebel against his role as an “alternate” in the Windsor hierarchy: As the second son of Charles III, he was a prince by birth but not a direct heir.
Now that Harry has turned 40 – a milestone for many – he is reportedly at a crossroads, reflecting on his past and considering possibilities for the future. AP.
Prince Harry has spent the past four years fixated on his past, raking in millions from his best-selling autobiography, Spare, and a hit Netflix documentary series, but Sally Bedell Smith, author of Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Unlikely Life, warns he may be losing the royal glamour that is so crucial to his image.
“I'm excited about what's to come.”
Ahead of his 40th birthday on Sunday, the Duke of Sussex spoke of his changing outlook, saying he was “dreading turning 30, but excited to be turning 40.” In a statement to the BBC, Prince Harry reaffirmed his unwavering commitment, saying, “No matter my age, my mission is to continue to go out into the world and do good.”
Prince Harry will celebrate the milestone birthday with family in California before vacationing with close friends, and he also emphasized how important his two children, Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, are in his life.
“Becoming a father is one of life's greatest joys. It has made me even more motivated and determined to make the world a better place.”
Royal rifts and far-flung celebrations
Amid ongoing tensions within the royal family between Prince Harry, his brother Prince William, and their father King Charles, the prince has chosen to hold part of his birthday celebrations in the U.S. Despite the discord, reports suggest King Charles will put their differences aside to celebrate Prince Harry's milestone 40th birthday.
“Harry would never have imagined himself living in California 10 years ago. Although his active duty days were coming to an end, he remained committed to the military,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward said. mirror“He founded the Invictus Games and the first one was held in September 2014, around his 30th birthday, with great celebrations in London.”
As for how King Charles will mark his estranged son's big day, the current monarch will be celebrating from afar. “Milestone birthdays are big things for the royal family and whatever upset Harry may have caused will be put behind him on the day,” a royal source revealed.
Friend reveals Harry's true personality
Ahead of Harry's 40th birthday, one of his close friends has shared his thoughts on his true personality.
Bryony Gordon, a journalist and friend of Prince Harry and Meghan, visited the couple at their Montecito home last year and was also invited to Frogmore Cottage, the couple's former English home on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Gordon, who has given several high-profile interviews with the Duke of Sussex, including a revealing pre-publication interview for Prince Harry's memoir, spoke about his experiences with the couple as Harry's milestone birthday approaches.
writing Daily MailShe says that since they have been friends for about eight years, many people ask her what he is really like and are curious about his real personality.
“When I honestly express my opinion that he's kind, funny, and overall pretty average, I get a flash of disappointment on their face, quickly followed by something like, 'Well, you'd say you know him,' as if knowing someone means you can't have a reliable opinion about them.”
“They are an ordinary couple in a completely extraordinary situation. There is no pretense or grace about them. They have no desire to do anything but protect their children from an increasingly digital world that loves to see the worst in people; a world that forgets that no matter how famous someone is, they're just trying their best, like everyone else.”
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