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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently made a massive announcement: They are leaving the royal family. Of course, Harry will always be related to the royals by blood, and Meghan is an in-law whether she works for the family or not. But the separation means that the two are essentially putting all of their eggs in one basket — with each other. 

It’s not something anyone likes to think about, but these days, divorce is common. What would Harry do if he and Meghan ever split up?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Ben Stansall/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Harry has never liked growing up in the spotlight

When Harry lost his mother, he was forced to walk behind her casket as millions of people watched him. And in an interview with Newsweek back in 2017, he says that day — and that moment — still haunts him. “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances,” Harry said of the occasion.

When Harry was a teenager, he began to lash out. He was partying often, drinking and smoking heavily, and not setting the example he should have been as a royal. William helped rope him back in, and he credits William for essentially saving his royal reputation. But now, it appears he knew from day one that he wasn’t meant to be a royal.

Meghan seems to have been his saving grace

Though some suggest Meghan is no good for Harry, people are forgetting that the prince never loved his royal role. To him, meeting Meghan was the best thing that could have happened. She comes from a normal life with no ties to royalty, which looks to be exactly what Harry wanted.

It’s possible that Harry already knew he wanted to leave royal life before the two even tied the knot. Had he wanted to stay, he would not have let Meghan make that decision for him. To Harry, Meghan is the best woman he could have married, and regardless of the negativity, the two appear to be very much in love. 

A divorce might see Harry back in the U.K. — but not necessarily as a royal

Now that the two have isolated themselves on both sides (they’ve left the royal family, and Meghan has a strained relationship with most of her family), we can’t help but wonder what would happen if their marriage didn’t last. If Harry and Meghan called it quits down the road, it’s unclear where her life would take her. But Harry would most likely find himself back in the United Kingdom.

Even if Harry moved closer to his family, though, it doesn’t look like he would ever return to royal life. Harry likely had the idea of leaving in his head for many years, and all he needed was a partner in crime to do it with. Meghan was that person, and now that he’s left, he will probably never come back. Should he and Meghan divorce, he might want to move closer to his family — but wouldn’t become one of them again.