Harry sparks furious social media backlash after snubbing the UK

Prince Harry set social media alight today when he claimed the US was now his home, and that he predicted it would ‘become a thing’.

The Duke of Sussex made the revelation in his latest interview on American television, in which he also refused to say whether he misses his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William.

Harry told NBC’s Today: ‘Home for me now, for the time being, is in the States. And it feels that way as well. We’ve been welcomed with open arms and we’ve got such a great community up in Santa Barbara.’ 

Asked if it was ‘weird’ to say publicly, having spent more than 30 years growing up in the UK, he replied: ‘No, but I’m sure it’ll become a thing.’

The snub towards Britain sparked a backlash on Twitter, particularly as it came just weeks after his lawyers told judges in the High Court in February the UK would ‘always be his home’ amid his ongoing security row. 

One user wrote: ‘He informed the court 6 weeks ago that England will always be home. I’m sure the court & [Home Office] will be very interested in this interview.

Another said: ‘In my opinion such a hit in the face for the British public. With saying my home is California, I wouldn’t even think about going on that balcony.’

At a hearing in February regarding police security for Harry when he visits from across the Atlantic, his barrister Shaheed Fatima QC insisted his ties to the UK remained strong.

‘It goes without saying that he does want to come back to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart,’ said Ms Fatima.

‘Most of all, this is and always will be his home.’

The main bombshell of the interview was Harry refusing to say whether he misses Charles and William amid speculation about their ongoing feud – but he insisted that he talks with the Queen ‘about things she can’t talk about with anybody else’.

The duke spoke about his mantra of ‘trying to make the world a better place for my kids’ while also explaining his concerns that he could face ‘burnout’ while working from home at his £11million mansion in Montecito, California.

In addition, he praised the Queen’s ‘sense of humour’ and spoke of their ‘really special relationship’ following their surprise meeting at Windsor Castle last Thursday where he had tea with her and his wife Meghan Markle.

And, talking about his late mother Princess Diana, Harry told NBC’s Today that he feels her ‘presence in almost everything that I do now’ and that he talks to his son Archie about her and there are photos of her in their home.

Asked what is the best thing about the Queen, he said: ‘Her sense of humour and her ability to see the humour in so many different things. We have a really special relationship. We talk about things that she can’t talk about with anybody else, so that is always a nice peace to her. But I think… after a certain age you get bored of birthdays.’

And asked about the Jubilee celebrations, he said: ‘I don’t know yet. There’s lots of things with security issues and everything else. This is what I’m trying to do, trying to make it possible that I can get my kids to meet her.’

But when questioned over whether he misses Charles and William, the Duke was keen to swerve the subject, telling presenter Hoda Kotb: ‘For me at the moment, I’m here focused on these guys [Invictus athletes] and these families and giving everything that I can, 120 per cent to them to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime. That’s my focus here. And when I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family who I miss massively.’

‘She’s done her bit with my brother and now she’s helping ME’: Harry says Princess Diana ‘got William set up’ and is now ‘watching over my family’

Prince Harry said his mother has done her bit to get his brother William set up and is now ‘helping my family’.

In his latest interview on US television, the Duke of Sussex told NBC’s Today that he feels Princess Diana’s ‘presence in almost everything that I do now’ and that he talks to his son Archie about her and there are photos of her in their home.  

Harry said he has felt his mother’s presence more so in that last two years than ever before – approximately the same length of time since he and Meghan Markle stepped back from Royal duties in January 2020. 

He said: ‘It’s almost as though she’s done her bit with my brother and now she’s very much helping me. She’s got him set up and now she’s helping me set up – that’s what it feels like. He’s got his kids, I’ve got my kids.

‘The circumstances are obviously different but I feel her presence in almost everything that I do now. But definitely more so in the last two years than ever before, without a question. She’s watching over us.’

When asked whether he has told his son Archie about Princess Diana, he said he has not told him ‘all the stuff that happened but certainly that “this is grandma Diana”.’ 

He also said he and Meghan Markle have a couple of photos of her up in the house and that he was ‘sure’ Princess Diana would be proud of him.

Royal author Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, told Sky News that Harry talking about Princess Diana shows he is ‘probably still grieving for his mother’.

She added: ‘Because people do that – and I studied this a bit when I wrote about William and Harry – in order to keep the presence of the person that’s passed away, is to keep them alive by doing things that they did and wanting their approval. So Harry does sound like he’s in a different sphere somehow.’ 

During the interview, Prince Harry refused to say whether he misses his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William amid their ongoing feud – but insisted that he talks with the Queen ‘about things she can’t talk about with anybody else’.

The Duke of Sussex also placed doubt over whether he would attend his grandmother’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London in June amid the ongoing security row with the Home Office, adding: ‘Home for me now is, you know, for the time being, it’s in the States. And it feels that way as well.’

And Harry spoke about his mantra of ‘trying to make the world a better place for my kids’ while also explaining his concerns that he could face ‘burnout’ while working from home at his £11million mansion in Montecito, California.

In addition, he praised the Queen’s ‘sense of humour’ and spoke of their ‘really special relationship’ following their surprise meeting at Windsor Castle last Thursday where he had tea with her and his wife Meghan Markle.

Asked what is the best thing about the Queen, he said: ‘Her sense of humour and her ability to see the humour in so many different things. We have a really special relationship. We talk about things that she can’t talk about with anybody else, so that is always a nice peace to her. But I think… after a certain age you get bored of birthdays.’

And asked about the Jubilee celebrations, he said: ‘I don’t know yet. There’s lots of things with security issues and everything else. This is what I’m trying to do, trying to make it possible that I can get my kids to meet her.’

But when questioned over whether he misses Charles and William, the Duke was keen to swerve the subject, telling presenter Hoda Kotb: ‘For me at the moment, I’m here focused on these guys [Invictus athletes] and these families and giving everything that I can, 120 per cent to them to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime. That’s my focus here. And when I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family who I miss massively.’

The couple moved to the Montecito area of Santa Barbara in California following their decision to step down as senior royals in early 2020, saying they wanted a new life of personal and financial freedom.