Prince Harry 'Desperate To Find Some New Meaning' As He Begins Solo Trips Without Wife Meghan

Prince Harry has embarked on a solo journey, kicking off an eight-day visit to New York and London without his wife, Meghan Markle, by his side.

Experts suggest that the move signals his desire to forge a new path and discover a fresh sense of purpose after he recently turned 40.

Prince Harry will return to his home country in the coming days to support the WellChild charity event, which he has maintained ties with even after he and Meghan quit their roles as working royals.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have to endure each other's absence for the next eight days as Harry began an eight-day visit to New York and London alone.

Last night, he attended a dinner put together by the World Health Organization to honor survivors of childhood violence. There, he met other notable dignitaries, including actor Forest Whitaker, several UN Agency Heads, and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, whom he greeted warmly upon arrival.

On his trip to the Big Apple, Harry will also support pet charities and businesses like African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst before flying to London this weekend for his annual visit to support WellChild at their awards ceremony, still without Meghan.

According to the Daily Mail, royal Biographer Phil Dampier suggested that Harry turning 40 has seemingly forced him to see things from a different perspective.

"Harry sometimes feels like a spare part and he often looks unhappy when he's out with Meghan at events in California," Dampier said. "I think he has reached a point where he wants more for himself. He's turned 40 and must be asking himself what the future holds."

"I think he's desperate to find some new meaning to his life, and that seems to involve branching out on his own more," he shared.

Dampier, who wrote "Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan In Their Own Words," went on to share that Harry is looking for something new he can throw himself into "and give his life some purpose" despite Meghan's reported insistence on not coming to the UK.

"He has this few days in New York and then he's heading to London for the WellChild event with which he's been involved for years," he said.

Dampier went on to add that Harry "clearly wants to find some causes he can get involved in and give his life some purpose" as Meghan "doesn't want to come back to this country," hence, "he will have to fly solo."

"I'm sure he's lacking some mates he can go out with for a beer and truly relax. The more he does things on his own and carves out some new projects, the more likely it is he can heal himself and eventually some of the divisions with his family, but it's going to be a long road," Dampier added.

According to the news outlet, royal expert and investigative journalist Tom Bower also said Harry's solo itinerary shows that he is trying "to assert himself."

Bower told the Daily Mail, "It's not just Harry doing repeated solo events which suggest a shift in his lifestyle and strategy to assert himself - not least in Britain."

Harry recently turned 40 and has reportedly been contacting his friends back in the UK ahead of his trip for the WellChild event.

In a statement about the event, Harry said: "I am once again honored to attend this year's WellChild Awards celebrating the remarkable courage and achievements of children living with complex medical needs."

He continued, "These incredible young people, along with the dedicated caregivers, nurses, and professionals who tirelessly support them, inspire us all. It is a true privilege to recognize such extraordinary individuals."

Meanwhile, Harry's meeting with notable dignitaries at the New York dinner event left body language expert Judi James thinking he appeared to show signs that he is "struggling with his visible demotion" as she analyzed photos of him and Queen Mathilde.

"It's Mathilde adopting the body language signals of royal rank and status here while Harry shows possible signs of struggling with his visible demotion," James told the Daily Mail.

She added, "He greets the Belgian Queen like family, using a warm eye gaze on her face while extending his right hand to clasp her on her upper arm, creating what looks like a rather sweet moment of tactile affection."

On Harry's 40th birthday, the official royal family account on X (formerly Twitter) gave a nod to the prince by wishing him a happy birthday, a move that many did not see coming due to the silent treatment Harry received last year.

The royal family's message read, "Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!"

Along with the birthday message was a cheerful photo of Harry beaming with a bright smile while rocking a grey suit and white shirt.

The photo was reportedly taken in 2018, during a visit with Meghan to the "Digital Docklands" in Dublin, when Harry was still a working royal family member.

To add to the special moment, the official account of Harry's elder brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate, @KensingtonRoyal, quoted the royal family's tweet with their own message.

They wrote, "Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!"