In a revealing development highlighting the growing distance between the two branches of Britain’s Royal Family, Prince Harry appears to be making strategic moves to maintain ties to at least one family member for his children’s sake.
The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle have reportedly purchased a holiday home in Portugal, according to GBN, a decision that brings them closer to Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie, and one that may be his last chance to provide his children with genuine royal relationships.
The location choice is far from coincidental. Princess Eugenie, 34, currently resides in Portugal with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their two children, three-year-old August and one-year-old Ernest. Brooksbank has been working in marketing and sales for Discovery Land Company in Portugal since 2022, establishing the family’s base in the European country.
According to royal sources, Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision reflects growing concerns about the isolation of Prince Archie, who is five years old, and Princess Lilibet, who is three, from their royal relatives. With Prince William and Princess Kate‘s three children growing up 5,455 miles away in the U.K., the possibility of close relationships between the cousins appears increasingly remote.
“Harry must know his children are not going to grow up as friends of William’s children. A bond for Lilibet and Archie with Eugenie’s kids will be the only royal friendship they will have.”
The move comes at a particularly charged time for the Sussexes. Harry, who turned 40 in September, has been notably active on the global stage, with recent trips to New York, England, and South Africa suggesting a possible restlessness with his Californian lifestyle.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliam notes that the Portugal property provides strategic advantages beyond family connections. “This gives the Sussexes a foothold in the EU and a base near Britain”, he explained, pointing out the practical benefits for Harry’s ongoing legal cases and potential visits to his father.
The timing of this development is particularly interesting given the current frost in relations between Harry and King Charles. Recent reports suggest the King has requested that there be no discussion of Harry or his memoir, Spare, during the monarch’s crucial nine-day tour of Australia and Samoa.
The Sussex-Eugenie connection has proven resilient through the years of royal turbulence. Eugenie appeared in the couple’s 2022 Netflix documentary, and the families have maintained close contact, with the princess and her husband visiting the Sussexes in Montecito. The couples were spotted dining together in Santa Barbara and attending the Super Bowl, demonstrating their enduring bond.
“The cousin bond is strong between Harry and Eugenie and they have grown up together to some extent. Both have suffered with an at-times difficult relationship with their parents.”
These updates come amid ongoing tensions within the Royal Family, with Meghan Markle reportedly holding back from sharing additional details about her time as a working royal, despite not being bound by any non-disclosure agreements.
For now, the Portugal property represents more than just a holiday home. It’s Harry’s attempt to keep one door to the Royal Family open, if not for himself, then for his children’s future. This whole situation has gotten way more complicated than anyone could have ever expected, but we’re happy to know that there’s some semblance of a bridge between the Sussexes and their royal heritage.
Published: Oct 22, 2024 11:57 am