Harry’s ‘playing second fiddle’

Prince Harry and Meghan put on a united front during their official visit to Nigeria this month, but the trip left some people speculating that Harry looked “worried” as his actress wife “outshone” him.

It was the Sussexes’ first official international visit since they stepped away from royal duties four years ago, and came days after Harry made a solo visit to the UK to celebrate 10 years of his Invictus Games.

Following the tour, royal expert Duncan Larcombe told new he believes it’s clear that Harry, 39, lived “entirely in Meghan’s shadow”, but said he may be content “playing second fiddle” to his spouse, 42.

“Meghan is a very strong character, very driven, extremely ambitious, and those are the kind of characteristics that mean she will almost always inevitably outshine Harry and grab the attention from him,” said Duncan.

“Harry is entirely in her shadow. But he’s never really been at ease with the attention, he’s never really enjoyed it.

“Whether it’s deliberate or not, Meghan is definitely a magnet for attention, although we saw a huge amount of money spent on her combined outfits for Nigeria, so maybe it’s not a complete accident that she steals the limelight. Their Nigeria trip was ‘The Meghan Show’ and Harry was the side.”

The couple landed in Abuja on Friday 10 May, without their two children, Prince Archie, who turned five this month, and two-year-old Princess Lilibet. They spent the next three days ticking off planned events including hospital and school visits and a game of sit-down volleyball with veterans.

Media coverage of the trip was dominated by Meghan’s talk on women in leadership. And an expert says this dynamic can put a couple under pressure.

Clinical psychologist Dr Sona Kapur, founder of Serenity Psychological Services, said there were usually two outcomes when one partner outshone the other in a relationship.

If Harry is happy living in Meghan’s shadow, it indicates “strong self-assurance and mutual support” but, she said, this is not always the case.

“It can add pressure if not managed well, potentially causing feelings of inadequacy or resentment,” she said.

“Success requires open communication, mutual support and ensuring both partners have opportunities to pursue their interests and shine.”