Prince Harry's 40th birthday marks the moment the royal scamp moves into middle age

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry has always been something different.

From the moment he first appeared in public, slumped in Princess Diana's arms outside the London hospital where he was born in 1984, Harry was a ginger-haired scamp who stuck his tongue out at photographers. She becomes an exuberant teenager who is roundly criticized for wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party, and then a young man who gives up the trappings of royal life and Moved to Southern California With his American wife.

Through it all, there was a sense that Harry was rebelling against an accident of birth that made him, in the strict calculus of the House of Windsor, merely “extra.” who is now the second son King Charles IIIHe was raised as a prince but not heir to the throne unless Brother William came to harm.

Now the angry young man is turning 40, the halfway point of many lives, offering an opportunity to either dwell on the past or look forward to what may yet be achieved.

For the past four years, Harry has focused mainly on the past, earning millions of dollars promoting his grievances. A very successful memoir and a Netflix docu-series. But he faced the possibility that the royal aura so critical to his image might fade, says Sally Bedell Smith, author of “Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Impossible Life.”

“He's kind of at a crossroads,” Smith told The Associated Press. “And he seems to be struggling with how to proceed.”

How do we get here?

It wasn't always this way.

Six years ago, Harry and his wife were among the most popular royals, a glamorous young couple who reflected the multicultural face of modern Britain and were expected to help revive the monarchy.

their Wedding on May 19, 2018The Queen has reunited one of Elizabeth II's grandsons with the former Meghan Markle, a biracial American actress who starred in the US television drama “Suits” for seven years. George Clooney, Serena Williams and Elton John attended their wedding at Windsor Castle, after which the couple were officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

But optimism quickly faded amid accusations from Britain's tabloid media and even members of the royal family Treated Meghan unfairly Because of racism.

By January 2020, the pressures of life in the golden cage had become too much and the couple announced that they were stepping down from royal duties and moving to America, where they hoped to become “financially independent”. They settled in the affluent enclave of Montecito near Santa Barbara, California, and signed lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify.

Since then, Harry misses Few opportunities to empty his soulMost famously in his memoir, aptly titled “Spare”.

In ghost written books, Harry described his grief over Princess Diana's death, his struggles with Prince William and his discomfort with life in his older brother's royal shadow. From cocaine use and losing her virginity to family feuds, the book was full of damning allegations about the royal family.

The most venomous of these was Harry's description How some family members leaked unflattering information about other royals in exchange for positive coverage about themselves. The prince singled out his father's second wife, Queen Camilla, accusing him of feeding private conversations to the media as he sought to rehabilitate an image tarnished by his role in Charles' divorce from Diana.

The allegations were so toxic that a return to public duty was unlikely, Smith said.

“She criticized the royal family in such a powerful and hurtful way. You can't say those things,'' she said. “And you can't mock things like Meghan did in that Netflix series. It is such an insulting gesture towards the Queen.''

Harry, who agreed not to use the honorific HRH, or “His Royal Highness”, is now fifth in line to the British throne, behind his brother and William's three children, after stepping back from front-row royal duties.

While he grew up in a mansion and is tipped to inherit millions of pounds (dollars) on his 40th birthday from a trust set up by his great-grandfather, applied developmental psychologist Deborah Heizer thinks that, in many ways, Harry is just like the rest of us.

Like anyone in their 40s, he's probably learned some lessons and has a better idea of ​​who his true friends are, and that will help him chart the next phase of his life, says Heizer, who writes a blog called “The Right.” Side of 40” for Psychology Today.

“It's a very public display of what a lot of people have gone through,” Heizer said. “I mean, most people aren't princes, but … they have all kinds of problems in their families. He is not alone. That's why he's so relatable.''

Harry's next chapter

Of course, Harry's story isn't all about Drama within the House of Windsor.

If he wants to write a new chapter, Harry can build on his 10 years of service in the British Army. Before retiring as captain in 2015, Yuvraj earned his wings as a helicopter pilot, served two tours in Afghanistan and shed the hard-partying reputation of his youth.

Harry also won praise for the establishment Invictus Games In 2014, a Paralympic-style competition to inspire and aid in the rehabilitation of ill and injured service members and veterans.

Harry and Meghan have made headlines this year with their two international trips to promote mental health and internet safety. Although some in the British media have criticized them for receiving royal treatment in Nigeria and Colombia, the couple said they visited at the invitation of local officials.

Will Charles see the grandchildren?

The prospect of a reunion is unclear, although Harry returned home to visit his father after Charles' cancer diagnosis. And in what could be seen as a temporary olive branch, there are no additions to the paperback edition of “Spare” scheduled for October – so nothing new to stir the pot.

But obviously at the moment, Harry is thinking about his family in California. She told the BBC about the importance of her two young children, Archie and Lilybet.

“Being a father is one of life's greatest joys and it has made me even more driven and committed to making this world a better place,” Rajkumar said in a statement released by his spokesperson.