The Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven’t lived in the UK since November/December 2019. That’s when they went to Canada and plotted their exit. At the Sandringham Summit in January 2020, different scenarios were suggested by courtiers and by Harry, but when it came down to it, Harry and Meghan were not offered the compromise they wanted, which was to be “half in” the institution, but able to live abroad and have some kind of security. They were told that wasn’t an option for them, that they would need to sink or swim. The courtiers and the Windsors believed that Meghan and Harry would sink, and that Harry would come crawling back to them without Meghan. Either that, or the Windsors genuinely wanted the Sussexes to die, which… was something that really could have happened. Anyway, just remember all of that whenever Salt Island gets performatively outraged about “the Sussexes could have lived in Canada or South Africa or New Zealand!” They offered, and that offer was rejected. Speaking of…
The Duchess of Sussex has said she’s happy to be back in her native California, but Prince Harry would rather have moved to a different continent. His friend, the celebrated primatologist Dame Jane Goodall, has revealed that he wanted the couple to live in Africa, where he has spent some of the happiest times in his life.
‘He wanted to bring Archie up in Africa, running barefoot with African children,’ she says of their three-year-old son. He and Meghan also have a daughter, Lilibet, aged 17 months.
Prince Harry’s advisers were said to be working on a ‘bespoke’ role for the couple, probably in Africa, that would combine some work on behalf of the Commonwealth along with charity work and a role promoting Britain. The plan had been drawn up by Sir David Manning, the former British ambassador to the U.S. and special adviser on constitutional and international affairs to Harry and Prince William. Of course, the plan was never put into action and the couple moved to North America before quitting royal duties. Had they moved to Africa, it could have made it more difficult for the Sussexes to sign lucrative deals with American companies such as Netflix, Spotify and BetterUp.
Again, in 2019, there were many scenarios and plots. Prince William and his advisors were openly discussing the need to exile the Sussexes as William “prepared for kingship.” It was believed that William and his advisors didn’t want the Sussexes to be “exiled” in Canada or Australia because they would basically have their own royal courts in exile in those countries, thus the “send them to Africa” plan was loosely formed. I believe Harry associated the African continent with freedom, freedom from royal life, freedom from the British media, so yes, he saw himself raising his children outside of the royal system. Remarkable that he’s doing just that in Montecito, huh?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex at the Justice Desk initiative in Nyanga township, Cape Town, South Africa, where they dance with locals. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 23 SEPTEMBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – On Tuesday 23 September, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan visited the Auwal Masjid, South Africa’s oldest mosque. The Auwal Masjid was established in 1794 in what was previously known as the Cape Malay district. Pictured: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 24 SEPTEMBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex meet Coastguard trained by Royal Marines at Kalk Bay, Cape Town. Pictured: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 24 SEPTEMBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex meet Coastguard trained by Royal Marines at Kalk Bay, Cape Town. Pictured: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 24 SEPTEMBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their son Archie at the Old Granary Building in Cape Town, on September 25, 2019, for a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at the 3rd day of their official visit to South Africa. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 25 SEPTEMBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan Markle The Duchess of Sussex is seen during a visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, part of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which she was announced as Patron in January 2019. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan the Duchess of Sussex visits a gender based violence education club and meets with partner the nature of violence against women and girls and the work they are undertaking to tackle it. Pictured: Meghan Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit to a township to learn about Youth Employment Services (YES), which aims to tackle the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa by creating one million new work opportunities in the next three years. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 2 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seen during a visit to a township to learn about Youth Employment Services (YES), which aims to tackle the critical issue of youth unemployment in South Africa by creating one million new work opportunities in the next three years. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 2 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcHFhboRxe8mapZ6Xl6S8pa3LpZapqpmjsKarx5qpq7GPrK6vwMSdlq2nj5e%2FqrrGmJirm5iesqDBz5igp5eRm7%2Bqr8CYqa6mnp67qKvBmqmenp%2BkwXA%3D