Yahoo Lifestyle Prince Harry Was Urged to Stay in U.K. by Ex-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Report
The Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle left the U.K. in January 2020 after stepping back from their royal roles
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Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince HarryPrince Harry was reportedly urged to remain in the U.K. and reconsider stepping back from his royal role by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In his upcoming memoir, Unleashed, Johnson, who was prime minister from July 2019 to Sept. 2022, reportedly writes about meeting Harry on the prince's final day as a working royal in January 2020.
According to a Sept. 27 preview of the book, which is set to be serialized in the Daily Mail, Johnson writes that there was "a ridiculous business... when they made me try to persuade Harry to stay. Kind of manly pep talk. Totally hopeless."
The 20-minute meeting took place behind the scenes of the January 2020 U.K.-Africa investment summit in London, according to the Daily Mail. Johnson is said to have praised Harry for his Invictus Games and the Duchess of Sussex for her work in promoting the education of women in developing countries.
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Prince Harry and Boris Johnson at the U.K.- Africa summit on Jan. 20, 2020 where they are said to have discussed Harry's departureExplaining 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.”
By that stage, Harry had already made a speech in which he said he and his wife Meghan Markle had “no other option” but to step back from royal life.
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."
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"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.”
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Prince Harry and Boris Johnson at the U.K.-Africa summit in Jan. 2020, where they are said to have discussed Harry's departureRelated: Boris Johnson Says Queen Elizabeth Was 'Bright and Focused' in Last Meeting 2 Days Before Her Death
Harry and Meghan announced on Jan. 8, 2020, that they would step back from their royal duties and become “financially independent." The Duchess of Sussex flew back to Canada, where the couple had been staying, to be with their then 8-month-old son Archie, while Harry stayed on for talks with his family at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Harry, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Sept. 15, spent this week in New York carrying out a series of meetings and events focused on the charities and causes to which he remains closely committed. He is set to return to London on Sept. 30 for his WellChild charity's annual awards.
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