Boris Johnson says he urged Harry to stay
Mr Boris Johnson has claimed he privately appealed to Prince Harry in 2020 to reconsider the Duke of Sussex’s decision to step back from royal duties, recalling an 11-word message he says he delivered during a conversation in London. The former prime minister wrote about the exchange in a recent column, saying he spoke to the Prince at a UK-Africa investment summit in the capital’s Docklands.
Mr Johnson said he told Prince Harry, “I think there is so much good you can do here”, describing it as the gist of his plea and adding that the Duke listened but he felt he was “getting nowhere”, Express.co.uk reported.
In the same piece, Mr Johnson wrote that he “couldn’t avert Megxit” despite being in office when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to North America, and he urged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to return to Britain. He also referenced the couple’s life in California with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and argued their time in the US had been a success.
The comments come as the Duke continues to attract periodic debate about his future role and ties to the Royal Family, including previous BritpopNews reporting on claims that Prince William was reportedly unhappy about renewed pressure for Harry to return.
Prince Harry has previously criticised the phrase “Megxit”, saying it was created by an online troll and amplified by the press. Neither the Duke nor Meghan has publicly responded to Mr Johnson’s latest account of their 2020 conversation.
