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Prince Harry Seems Happy to Be Back in Britain as Royal Editor Shares Unexpected Encounter

After years of tense moments, the Duke of Sussex has now reportedly been seen greeting journalists with smiles, handshakes, and unexpected warmth.

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, arrives to speak at a roundtable about support for veterans on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (Cover Image Source: AP Photo | Alex Brandon)
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, arrives to speak at a roundtable about support for veterans on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (Cover Image Source: AP Photo | Alex Brandon)

Prince Harry appears to be showing a noticeably different side of himself since returning to the UK, a shift that one royal journalist says left them genuinely stunned. Harry's battle with the media is no secret to anyone, but it seems like the Duke is now working on repairing his image, or maybe he is just happy and relaxed to be back home. After years of tense moments, the Duke of Sussex has now reportedly been seen greeting journalists with smiles, handshakes, and unexpected warmth.

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington, as Sarah Verardo, CEO, of The Independence Fund, listens. (Image Source: AP Photo | Alex Brandon)
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington, as Sarah Verardo, CEO of The Independence Fund, listens. (Image Source: AP Photo | Alex Brandon)

In a recent turn of events, the Duke seemingly had a change of heart, revealed Mirror royal editor Russell Myers. Harry attended the 2026 WellChild Awards recently, and with every public appearance, he seems to be getting more comfortable with media personnel. It was at the Invictus event in London last week that Myers had an unexpected encounter with Harry.

Detailing his experience, he shared, “Normally, whenever I’ve dealt with Harry in the past, we are behind a rope, and us journalists are far away from him while he’s scowling at us from a distance.” For Myers, the reaction was particularly surprising because he had not experienced that kind of warmth from Harry before. Talking on Mirror’s Pod Save the King podcast, he continued, "This time, he was speaking to other people, and he saw us out of the corner of his eye, then bounded up to me and another journalist, and he was super cheery, just grinning like the Cheshire cat."

Prince Harry attends the Time100 Sports Gala in New York City. (Image Source: Getty Images| TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic)
Prince Harry attends the Time100 Sports Gala in New York City. (Image Source: Getty Images | TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic)

Sharing his interaction with the Duke, Myers added, “Then he shook our hands and said, ‘How are you doing? Great to see you, thanks for coming, really good to see you!’ and I must admit I nearly fell over.” The editor continued, “I’ve never really had that reaction with him before. There are other members of the Royal Family who are a lot more friendly, shall we say. But it really spoke to me at that moment that Harry is now trying to play the game.”

The Mirror’s deputy royal editor Jennifer Newton described Harry’s behavior as a “charm offensive,” with Myers agreeing that the Duke appeared to be trying to “kill them with kindness.” He also questioned whether Harry’s new status as a private citizen could be allowing him to behave more casually. “Is this the work of a private citizen? Can he now be a bit more jolly? Can he allow himself to have fun now the pressure is over?” 

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Invictus Games Foundation's inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards at Old Royal Naval College on September 17, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attends the Invictus Games Foundation's inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards at Old Royal Naval College on September 17, 2026, in London, England. (Image Source: Getty Images | Chris Jackson)

Newton even stated that Harry's switch might also be due to his return to the UK. “Well, does this also show that he’s just happy being back in his home country? Maybe California life didn’t suit him so much, and he’s happy to be back," she opined.

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