Prince Harry was reportedly urged to remain in the U.K. and not turn his back on royal duties by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Johnson — who was in No.10 Downing Street from July 2019 to September 2022 — is reported to have written about meeting Harry during an event on the prince’s last working day as a royal in his upcoming memoir Unleashed.
The book will be serialized in the Daily Mail, which reported on Friday Sept. 27, that the former PM writes there was “a ridiculous business . . . when they made me try to persuade Harry to stay, Kind of mainly pep talk. Totally hopeless.”
By then, Harry had already made a speech in which he said he and wife Meghan Marklehad “no other option” but to step back from royal life.
The 20-minute meeting took place behind the scenes of the January 2020 U.K.-Africa investment summit in London, reported the Daily Mail. Johnson is said to have praised Harry for his Invictus Games and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s work in promoting the education of women in developing countries.
Prince Harry and Boris Johnson at the U.K.- Africa summit on Jan. 20, 2020 where they are said to have discussed Harry’s departure.
Stefan Rousseau – WPA Pool/Getty
Explaining the meeting, a friend is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying, “It was a man-to-man conversation. They were totally alone. But Harry wasn’t for turning — he was unpersuadable by that point.”
That is most likely a reference to Harry’s speech to supporters of his Sentebale charity on January 19, 2020, when he said, “It brings me great sadness that it has come to this. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly.”
“It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges,” Harry added. “I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option. What I want to make clear is we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you.”
Prince Harry and Boris Johnson at the U.K.-Africa summit in Jan. 2020, where they are said to have discussed Harry’s departure.
Stefan Rousseau – WPA Pool/Getty
Harry and Meghan announced on Jan. 8, 2020, that they would step back from their royal duties and become “financially independent.” The former Suits actress flew back to Canada to be with the couple’s then 8-month-old baby Archie, while Harry stayed on for talks with his family at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Harry, who turned 40 on Sept. 15, has spent this week in New York carrying out a series of meetings and talks with charities and causes he remains close to. He is set to visit London on Sept. 30 for his WellChildcharity’s annual awards.
