Prince Harry’s inner circle has gotten smaller (Image: Wellchild)

Prince Harry has become estranged from the royal family and lost a number of friends in the fallout, something a former royal butler believes he regrets.

The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as senior working royals before moving to America to start a new life with their two children – Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. After making the big move, the couple hit out at the royal family.

They made some serious allegations against the royals in their Netflix series Harry & Meghan and also spoke about life behind the palace walls in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Royal butler Grant Harold believes Harry has some regrets about the sacrifices he’s made.

“There’s part of me that thinks Harry does have some regrets about the fact that he’s left his home life, his friends and his family behind to start a new life in the US,” Harold said.

Prince Harry left the UK for America ( Image: Getty Images)
He explained, “It was a big move with a lot of sacrifice. For Meghan, she still had her friends and, to an extent, her family in the form of her mom, so she didn’t have to make as huge a sacrifice.”

Harold also suggested the royal family is now “very different to what we thought it would be when Meghan first married Harry.” He continued, “If they had stayed in the royal family, things would have been so different and perhaps we would have seen Catherine and Meghan doing more events together.”

Now they’ve left the royal family, Harold believes Harry and Meghan are “getting on with things.” He added, “Harry and Meghan wanted their own careers and to do interviews and shows with Netflix, so it just wouldn’t have worked with them staying in the family.”

While some fans have been hopeful the pair will one day reunite with the royals, Harold isn’t so sure. “I think things could have been different if Harry and Meghan had done a longer test run of the half-in and half-out scenario, rather than a complete breakaway. Then they could have worked out all the bumps in the road,” he said.

“But that was a long time ago now. Could they return? I’m not sure they could ever be working royals again,” Harold continued.

He also suggested Prince William is unlikely to invite his brother back with open arms. “When William eventually becomes King, I don’t think things will change. Obviously it would be nice for him to have his brother by his side. He won’t close any doors and if the relationship is healed, then who knows? But I can’t see it happening.”