Harry misses his royal life more than ever – yet one relationship is well and truly done

OPINION: The Duke of Sussex visited Ukraine this week, and it was clear just how much he missed royal life.

Prince Harry misses royal life – it is clear to see (Image: Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images)

Prince Harry has not been a working royal for six years now, but this week has shown that he misses it more than ever before. The Duke of Sussex seems to be here, there and everywhere at the moment, having been to Australia last week and now Ukraine this week.

While Australia was very much a joint trip with his wife Meghan Markle, this trip to Ukraine is a clear solo venture. And what else is clear is the fact that he is clearly missing royal duty.

Although Harry claimed in a speech last week that his mother’s death meant he never wanted a royal role, I beg to differ. Everything he has been doing lately, except using a royal title for financial gain and giving a political message to Putin, is exactly what a royal role consists of.

Meeting people and organisations, shaking hands, giving speeches, and recognising major global events. These are all things the royals do.

And they are also things that Harry has been doing over the last few weeks, and clearly wanting to do too.

I mean, the prince and his wife literally got back to their Montecito mansion in California over the weekend, where they were reunited with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. And already Harry’s out and about again.

Not even enough time in between to really put his feet up.

The duke quit royal life six years ago (Image: Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

I think that these recent trips in close proximity has highlighted just how much there are parts of royal life that Harry misses.

Since he quit royal life, people who have worked with him when he was a royal have spoken about just how engaged Harry always was when meeting the public and getting involved, so it’s not a surprise this is something he misses.

The problem is, I don’t think it is something Meghan misses about royal life. I also think that whether he misses it or not, the door for a royal return for Harry is, and always will be, firmly closed.

He may be making amends with his father on a personal level, but on a professional level, I think that relationship is well and truly done.