Prince Harry has experienced a whirlwind of change over the past four years.
The Duke of Sussex, now 40, made the monumental decision to step down as a senior royal, leaving behind his royal duties, status, and, most heartbreakingly, his family.
Despite the emotional challenges, it seems Harry may have reached a turning point, according to OK!
Last week, he made a high-profile solo trip to New York, without his wife Meghan Markle, focusing on his key passions: conservation, environmental issues, and honoring his late mother’s legacy.
This visit highlighted how Harry is navigating the transition between his former royal life and his current one—earning praise from a top royal expert for his efforts.
“We have seen the old Harry again during recent events he’s attended in the UK and now in New York,” ex-BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells OK!
“He is brilliant with the people he meets, especially the children, and I think it shows the family back home that he is still determined to continue his kind of service without all the royal trappings. If he wants to use his platform to do good, then we should applaud him for it.”
Despite having the option to simply relish his role as a doting husband to Meghan, 43, and a proud father to five year old Prince Archie and three year old Princess Lilibet, Prince Harry remains committed to utilising his public standing for the greater good.
“There’s nothing to stop Harry having a pretty low-profile life now he is, after all, a multi-millionaire and I’m sure he could just live a life of idle pleasure in the Californian sunshine,” notes Jennie.
“However, he has chosen to use his platform to promote causes he cares about… to ‘serve’ even though he is not a working royal. I don’t think he’s trying to put noses out of joint, I think he’s just following his instincts, as well as his mother’s example. It’s no coincidence that he has taken up several of the causes she espoused. I think he feels a real vocation to carry on her work.”