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Reflecting on Princess Diana’s Legacy: A Connection to Harry and Meghan’s New Life

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle publicly shared their engagement on November 27, 2017, Harry expressed a heartfelt sentiment, suggesting that his late mother, Princess Diana, would have embraced Meghan as “thick as thieves,” envisioning a strong friendship between the two women.

As Meghan embarks on a dynamic 2025, she has reactivated her Instagram presence, revitalized her lifestyle brand—now titled “As Ever” instead of “American Riviera Orchard”—and launched a new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, with a second season anticipated later this year. Additionally, she’s initiated a podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder. Paul Burrell, a former butler and confidante of Diana, shared with InStyle that while Diana might have been bewildered by certain aspects of Harry and Meghan’s lives post-royalty, she would have admired their quest for autonomy and their unconventional approach to achieving a more ordinary lifestyle.

After their marriage in May 2018, Harry and Meghan decided to distance themselves from royal duties, formally announcing their stepping back on January 8, 2020. This decision led them to move from the United Kingdom to California, Meghan’s home state. Burrell, who maintained a supportive stance towards the royals despite some personal disagreements within the family—particularly highlighted during Diana’s tumultuous divorce from Prince Charles—remarked on how Diana would have likely been distressed by the commercialization of royal titles. He highlighted that Diana was dedicated to philanthropy and did not seek financial gains from her royal status.

Burrell speculated that if Harry and Meghan were channeling their entrepreneurial revenue into charitable works through their organization Archewell, then he would fully support their endeavors.

In terms of how the royal family perceives the Sussexes’ new ventures, Burrell suggested that they may regard the couple’s activities with a degree of indifference. He opined that the royal family likely chooses to dismiss news related to Harry and Meghan.

Reflecting on his new life in America, Harry mentioned during a talk with Andrew Ross Sorkin at The New York Times DealBook Summit that this new chapter aligns with what he believes his mother would have wanted for him. He drew parallels to his childhood, expressing feeling trapped within the royal environment and highlighting fears regarding his family’s safety, a concern deeply rooted in the tragic circumstances surrounding Diana’s death due to media scrutiny.

The move to California may not have been surprising for Meghan, but it also aligns with Diana’s earlier aspirations. In Burrell’s memoir titled A Royal Duty, he revealed that Diana had contemplated starting anew in California and had even selected a house in Malibu for herself and her sons, Harry and William. Burrell recounted moments when they discussed their envisioned future, emphasizing the appeal of an environment free from class prejudice and judgments.

This theme of reinvention also appears in representations of Diana’s life in popular media. For instance, The Crown explores her desire for a fresh start in California, and Harry confirmed in a 2022 Netflix docuseries that his mother had intended to establish a life in the state, recognizing it as a place for freedom and relaxation.

Furthermore, Diana’s former voice coach revealed that she often expressed enthusiasm for the idea of relocating to Malibu, indicating her desire for her sons to have the freedom to engage in outdoor activities without the pressures of royal life.

Notably, former royal correspondent Charles Rae recounted how Diana expressed her frustration with media scrutiny and revealed her sons’ wishes for her to move to America, hinting at a surprise announcement about her future plans that sadly never came to fruition due to her untimely passing.

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www.instyle.com