When Prince Harry and Meghan first quit royal life in 2020, they almost always attended public events together. However, more recently, Prince Harry has been going solo on several trips while Meghan stays at home with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
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Indeed, the Duke of Sussex has been to several charity events alone and is currently in Southern Africa for a work trip. There are several theories as to why the ‘salt and pepper’ duo, as once used by Meghan, have been going solo.
Some believe it is a PR strategy while others have suggested it’s so the Duchess of Sussex can focus on her own business.
Prince Harry’s recent solo trips
As mentioned above, Prince Harry has been venturing out on his own recently. He attended a charity event organised by Hollywood star Kevin Costner, and then headed to New York for several appearances, including a summit by the Clinton Foundation and a spooky TV appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
The father-of-two then had a flying visit to his home country for the WellChild Awards, after which he jetted off to Southern Africa for a series of visits in Lesotho and South Africa. The one thing in common with all of these trips is that Meghan has stayed in Montecito.
As per The Telegraph, many have suggested that Prince Harry is conducting a ‘royal tour’, however, his team has denied these claims and has explained it is a way for the Duke of Sussex to focus on his key patronages and charities. Many of the events Prince Harry has attended are close to his heart and also stand for what his mother, Princess Diana, cared for.
Are these solo trips a PR strategy?
Prince Harry’s solo trips have come somewhat as a surprise as Meghan has previously described their relationship as ‘salt and pepper’ and they ‘always move together’, as per Mirror.
However, this statement seems less true recently. According to Mark Borkowski, a PR expert, Meghan has been staying at home to focus on her business venture, American Riviera Orchard. Moreover, he believes it is a new strategy as their ‘star power’ as an item ‘didn’t work’ as they hoped. He goes on to explain that they have ‘changed the narrative’ to ‘deflect from the failures’.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to think there’s something going on. She has been doing the jam thing, the Martha Stewart play. He seems to be going back to basics.
They had to change the narrative. They need a venture that deflects from the failures. The charity aspect impresses upon everybody that he [Harry] does have value beyond the controversial stuff. It has the effect of separating them from the bad press and the failed content ideas.
Nonetheless, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been on several trips as an item this year as well, including a trip to New York, which prompted the speculations of their ‘quasi-royal tour’. They then visited Nigeria in May 2024, and then in August 2024, they visited Colombia.
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Sources used:
The Telegraph: ‘Prince Harry is finally forging his solo path | Royal Insight’
The Telegraph: ‘Where’s Meghan? Why Harry is going it alone’
Mirror: ‘Real reason Meghan Markle is 'missing' revealed as Prince Harry ramps up solo outings’
