Inside Prince Harry's secret 'struggles' since quitting Royal Family for marriage

It's been more than five years since Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, stunned Brits by stepping down as senior working members of the Royal Family.

However, an expert reckons the Duke of Sussex is still facing a "struggle" to find his place beyond the gilded gates of Buckingham Palace, especially in terms of “trying to be a breadwinner” for his wife and children.

Things have inarguably been eventful in the Sussex household since the Duke and Duchess swapped rainy Balmoral retreats for celeb hangouts in sunny Montecito. But has this markedly different pace of life proven to be everything the prince hoped for?

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In various snaps shared via Meghan's recently activated Instagram account, she and Harry appear to be enjoying an idyllic life in California with children Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.

But according to Royal historian Marlene Koenig, the father of two, who previously served as a soldier in Afghanistan, could be missing out on professional fulfilment.

Ms Koenig told US Weekly: "I'm not sure if Harry has regrets about leaving, as he is determined to build a new life in the US.

"But he hasn’t been entirely successful, especially in terms of earning money for the family. That seems to have fallen on Meghan.”

The pair got candid in their bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they made it clear they were keen to strike out on their own. Further revelations followed in their 2022 Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan.

Harry, 40, went on to publish his ghostwritten memoir Spare, which burst onto bestseller lists at the start of 2023. The Invictus Games founder also went on to take a position with tech startup BetterUp.

Meanwhile, Meghan, 43, showed off her culinary skills in a lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, in addition to her various podcasting pursuits, including the star-studded Confessions Of A Female Founder.

The former actress, who rose to fame playing Rachel Zane on Suits, has also shown entrepreneurial zeal through her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which stocks products such as raspberry spread and herbal teas.

In Ms Koenig's view, the role of "breadwinner" has fallen on the shoulders of business-savvy Meghan, with the fifth in line to the throne now playing a "supporting role".

Ms Koenig reflected: "He was always expected to play a supportive but not a supporting role. He may be comfortable in his California home with his wife and two adorable children, but what he hasn’t found yet is the comfort of a success outside at home.”

With this in mind, Ms Koenig compared Harry's situation with that of his elder brother, Prince William, now the Prince of Wales and King in Waiting.

She argued: "One brother has found his role and knows what he has to do to prepare for his future. The other brother has yet to find the right balance for a successful career away from what he was raised to be.”

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