How Prince Harry Caused More Royal Drama From Afar

Ever since Prince Harry pulled the plug on his working relationship with the royal family and prioritized his family and mental health over the Buckingham Palace drama, things haven't been the same between him and his brother, Prince William. Of course, seeing how both Harry and Meghan Markle threw the royal family under the proverbial bus during their interview with Oprah Winfrey has only made things worse, Harry has chosen to remain in California unless he absolutely has to travel back across the pond. In the mental health series "The Me You Can't See" (via the Independent) the Duke of Sussex said flying back home to the U.K. feels like a "trigger" for him. "For most of my life, I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the U.K., whenever I fly back to London," he shared.

With that said, it's no wonder that Harry decided to opt out of yet another royal engagement involving his brother William and other members of his family. His decision to do so, however, is causing even more royal drama from afar. Here's why.

The last time Prince Harry stepped foot in the U.K. was during the summer of 2021 for the unveiling of a Princess Diana statue at Kensington Gardens. Harry and his brother Prince William stood side by side for the unveiling, and even issued a joint statement, per Newsweek, that said, "Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy."

While they say distance makes the heart grow fonder, the Duke of Sussex perhaps believes the distance between him and the rest of the royal family should stay in place, as he opted not to travel back to London for a private party to celebrate the statue with Harry and other high-profile guests. The Independent suggests his absence will certainly loom over the party, making things even more awkward for William and the rest of the royals. 

Harry also won't be in London for Remembrance Sunday, which is the next calendar date that the royals are expected to gather together in public. Instead, Harry will be heading back to New York City to help honor veterans at the Intrepid Museum's Salute to Freedom gala along with his friend Jon Bon Jovi in November, according to Page Six. Clearly, Harry prefers landing in the Big Apple in peace than in London as one big ball of stress.