A former Royal butler, Grant Harrold, has given a harsh critique of Prince Harry's life in the US, stating that "a lot of people" in both the US and UK have already formed opinions about his actions. Harrold, who once served the Royal Family, expressed growing annoyance over what he perceives as the Sussexes' inconsistent behaviour. In a conversation with GB News, he pointed out: "They keep stressing they want their privacy and they want to be left alone but then the next minute they're doing these documentaries and people are in their homes. It's causing a lot of confusion, which I think is frustrating people.".
Despite this, he noted that many Royal enthusiasts he encounters still have "a lot of love for Harry". Reflecting on Harry's exit from Royal duties, Harrold admitted: "It's really difficult to pinpoint why and how it's all kind of gone so badly wrong.". He recalled that when Meghan and Prince Harry tied the knot, it was assumed they would carry out Royal responsibilities in the UK, much like Prince William and Princess Kate.
"That's not what has happened. Initially, I think everybody thought 'we'll see what happens'," he said, as per the Express. These remarks come in the wake of a survey by market research firm Ipsos, which revealed that only 21% of participants consider King Charles' youngest son more a member of the Royal Family than a celebrity, according to The Telegraph. A recent survey has shed light on the public's perception of the Duke of Sussex, with 40% of respondents viewing him as more of a celebrity and 20% seeing him as both a Royal and a celebrity. Notably, 16% of those polled believed Harry was neither a Royal nor a celebrity, while the remaining respondents were unsure.
The survey, which polled 1,091 individuals, also revealed that 15% held an unfavourable view of Prince William, whereas 43% had a negative opinion of Harry. Furthermore, over half of the respondents (54%) viewed Meghan Markle unfavourably, in stark contrast to the 12% who held a similar view of the Princess of Wales. Since stepping down as senior royals in 2020, Harry and Meghan have pursued various commercial ventures, including Meghan's lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. However, Harry's visits to the UK have been infrequent, primarily limited to private trips and his recent legal battle with the publisher of The Sun, which was settled in January.
The relationship between Harry and Prince William reportedly remains strained following the publication of Harry's memoir, Spare, which detailed alleged rifts within the Royal family. On a more positive note, the survey indicated that the British public is optimistic about Prince William's potential as king, with 67% believing he would excel in the role and only 9% expressing concerns that he would do a "bad job".
Prince William has emerged as the top favourite among the royals, earning the approval of 64% of those surveyed who hold a "favourable" opinion of him. He's closely followed by the Princess of Wales at 62%, with Princess Anne securing the admiration of 56% and King Charles winning over nearly half with 49%. However, when it comes to Queen Camilla, the monarch's wife, only a third (33%) expressed a "favourable" view.
