Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle seem to be under constant scrutiny from the media, with negative stories coming out every day about everything from alleged problems with their staff to rumors of a rift with Netflix. The narrative often seems to be that the Duke of Sussex is unhappy overall and looks “miserable” in photos, but now he’s spoken out to refute those claims.
The younger son of King Charles III recently spent a busy week traveling, where Prince Harry not only visited Ukraine but also reportedly met with his father for the first time since February 2024. The duke told The Guardian he loves the UK and “always will love the UK,” regardless of what expression may have been captured on his face in some photos. In Prince Harry’s words:
It is only in certain elements of the press where you see this talk about me being down or saying I am not smiling. This comes from people who think they know what I am thinking and how I am feeling. They are wrong.
Prince Harry’s complicated relationship with the British tabloids is no secret, as he’s been involved in lawsuits against the Daily Mirror and more, with a new trial — in which he, Elton John and others are suing Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers — set to begin in January 2026.
He continued his thoughts about how the media sees him, saying:
I think parts of the British press want to believe that I am miserable, but I’m not. I am very happy with who I am and I like the life that I live.
There have been strong feelings about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the past five years, since they decided to step away from royal life and relocate to the United States. Tensions continued to rise, first with the couple’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, and then with the allegations made in the Duke of Sussex’s tell-all memoir Spare and their docuseries Harry & Meghan (available to stream with a Netflix subscription).
Prince Harry admitted there probably have been times when he didn’t look cheerful, due to the stress of what his family has been through, what’s come out through the lawsuits and the online hate Meghan Markle receives.
He said he thinks there’s a disconnect between how he is portrayed in the media and how the British public sees him, and even though he feels he’s “been destroyed by certain members of the British press,” he trusts that the people “can speak and think for themselves.”
The duke’s memoir may have increased friction between him and his father and brother — William and Harry remain estranged despite reported “reconciliation efforts” — but Princess Diana’s younger son doesn’t regret writing Spare, because he said it serves to correct many stories that were already out there.
Only time will tell if Prince Harry can mend his relationships with his family, and in the meantime maybe we shouldn’t jump to conclusions if we see photos of the Duke of Sussex looking “miserable.”
