Royal Family LIVE: Harry & Meghan‘s Abandoned Plan for a Life in Africa Before California Move
London, UK – Before their eventual move to Montecito, California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle envisioned a dramatically different future: a life strategically balanced between royal duty and personal freedom, with a important portion of their time spent in South Africa. The aspiring plan, intended to shield the couple from the relentless British media, ultimately collapsed following a leak to the press, a revelation detailed in Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Sources reveal the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sought a setup where they could continue to serve the late Queen while enjoying a degree of privacy unattainable within the confines of royal life in the UK. The proposal centered around spending roughly half the year in Africa, a continent holding deep personal significance for Prince Harry, and a location offering respite from the intense scrutiny of the British tabloids.
Remarkably, Queen Elizabeth II reportedly endorsed the concept. however, when Prince Harry formally presented the plan in writing to his father, now King Charles, the details were swiftly leaked, triggering a public outcry and effectively extinguishing their hopes. The leak created a firestorm of controversy, making the proposed arrangement untenable.
While New Zealand was briefly considered as an alternative, Africa held a particularly strong emotional pull. Prince Harry has frequently spoken of finding solace and healing in Africa following the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana. Moreover, the Botswana diamond featured in Meghan Markle’s engagement ring served as a poignant symbol of their connection to the continent.
The failure of this plan, as Harry recounts in Spare, proved pivotal in their decision to relocate to California with their children, Archie and Lilibet. Though they found a new home and a measure of independence, the dream of a life split between the UK and Africa remains a poignant “what if” – a bittersweet possibility forever linked to the shadow of Table Mountain and the complexities of royal life.
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