Nearly six years after stepping away from royal life, Prince Harry still appears to be the “spare” in a different way, according to a royal expert.
The Duke of Sussex moved to the United States with Meghan Markle in 2020, settling down in her home state of California and far away from the pomp and pageantry of the royal family. The couple has built a quieter life centered on family, charitable work, and select professional ventures.
However, royal expert Kinsley Schofield told Fox News Digital that she believes Harry has never really escaped his “spare” title. He famously used the alleged royal nickname as the title for his 2023 autobiography, referencing his place in the line of succession to his brother, Prince William.
“Prince Harry has essentially traded one hierarchy for another,” Schofield believes. “In the royal family, he was the spare to Prince William.”
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The expert continued, “In Hollywood, he risks becoming the supporting character to Meghan Markle’s ambitions. The entertainment industry rewards relevance, star power, and personal branding.”
Schofield believes that the royal family member has struggled with finding a “role beyond being Prince Harry.” She added, “California seems to have left Harry unmoored. He is far from his family, his military community, and the institutional structure that once gave him direction. While he enjoys the privileges of wealth and privacy, there is a visible lack of grounding. To the public, he appears less settled than solid.”
Harry opened up about life in the United States in an essay published in November 2025 ahead of Remembrance Day. The Independent published his writings in full. The essay explored his British identity and personal perspective as a veteran.
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“Though currently, I may live in the United States, Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for,” wrote the Duke of Sussex. “The banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands, ridiculous as it sounds, these are the things that make us British. I make no apology for it. I love it.”
Currently, Prince Harry has a net worth of $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The bulk of his wealth comes from his royal title, his successful autobiography (for which he was reportedly paid $27 million), and deals with Netflix (worth $100 million) and Spotify ($20 million).
The prince inherited a reported $40 million from a trust fund set up by The Queen Mother when he turned 40. Additionally, he received a $10 million inheritance from his mother, Princess Diana, after her August 1997 death.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle no longer receive payments through the Sovereign Grant, funded by taxpayers each year and used to support the monarch’s official duties, per their official website.
Do you think Prince Harry is still a “spare?” Let us know in the comments section below.
