Harry turns 40: A milestone of reflection and future plans

From the moment he first appeared in Princess Diana’s arms outside a London hospital in 1984, Harry was a cheeky ginger-haired kid who playfully stuck his tongue out at photographers.

As he grew up, he made headlines for a controversial Nazi costume and later made a dramatic break from royal life, moving to Southern California with his American wife.

Throughout it all, Harry seemed to be rebelling against his role as “the spare” in the House of Windsor’s hierarchy. As the second son of King Charles III, he was a prince by birth, but never a direct heir.

Now, as Harry turns 40—the halfway mark for many—he stands at a crossroads, reflecting on the past while considering the possibilities for his future, reports AP.

For the last four years, Harry has been fixated on the past, raking in millions from his bestselling memoir, Spare, and a hit Netflix docu-series. However, Sally Bedell Smith, author of “Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life,” warns that the royal allure crucial to his image might be slipping away.

‘Excited for what’s ahead’

Ahead of his 40th birthday on Sunday, the Duke of Sussex shared his evolving perspective, saying, “I was anxious about 30, but I’m excited about 40.” In a statement to the BBC, Prince Harry expressed his ongoing commitment: “Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world.”

He plans to mark his milestone birthday with family in California, followed by a break with a close-knit group of friends. Prince Harry also emphasized the significance of his children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, in his life.

“Being a dad is one of life’s greatest joys. It has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place.”

A royal rift and a distant celebration

Amid ongoing tensions with the royal family—primarily between Prince Harry, his brother Prince William, and their father King Charles—the prince is choosing to keep some of his birthday celebrations stateside. Despite the rift, reports suggest that King Charles will set aside their differences to mark Harry’s milestone 40th birthday.

“Harry would never have envisaged himself living in California 10 years ago. He was still dedicated to the military, although his active career was ending,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Mirror. “He founded the Invictus Games. The first tournament took place to huge fanfare in London in September 2014, around the time of his 30th birthday.”

As for how King Charles will acknowledge his estranged son’s big day, the reigning monarch will celebrate from afar. “Milestone birthdays are important to the royals. Whatever upsets Harry has caused will be forgotten for the day,” the royal source revealed.

Friend reveals Harry’s true character

Ahead of Harry’s 40th birthday, one of his close friends has shared her insights into his true character.

Journalist Bryony Gordon, a friend of both Harry and Meghan Markle, visited them at their Montecito home last year. She was also hosted at their former UK residence, Frogmore Cottage, on the Windsor estate.

Gordon, who has conducted several high-profile interviews with the Duke of Sussex—including a revealing conversation before the release of his memoir—has now opened up about her experiences with the couple as Harry’s milestone birthday approaches.

Writing in the Daily Mail, she says that having being pals for around eight years, many people ask her what he is really like and are curious about his true character.

“When I tell them my honest opinion, that he is kind, funny and pretty damn normal, all things ­considered, I often see a flash of ­disappointment cloud their faces, followed quickly by words to the effect of ‘well you would say that you know him’ as if knowing ­someone should disqualify you from having a trusted opinion about them.”

“They are a pretty ­ordinary ­couple existing in an absolutely ­extraordinary situation. There are no airs or graces with them. They have no desire to do anything other than protect their children from an increasingly digital world that likes nothing more than seeing the worst in people. A world that forgets that no ­matter how high profile a person is, they’re just doing their best, like everyone else.” 

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