‘Bring on the next decade’ says Harry, as he reveals excitement about turning 40

The Duke of Sussex has said: “Bring on the next decade”, as he turns his back on a turbulent period that rocked the royal family.

Harry is “excited” about celebrating his 40th birthday on Sunday, and in comments released to the BBC he said fatherhood had given him a renewed sense of purpose to make “this world a better place”.

The past 10 years have been a period of upheaval for Harry and his wife Meghan who, after struggling behind the scenes with royal life, stepped down as working royals and moved to America for financial and personal freedom.

The couple appear content with their lives in the celebrity enclave of Montecito in California where they have established a new life for themselves and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.

But the duke remains estranged from his brother the Prince of Wales, highlighted by the siblings reportedly not talking when they attended a family funeral last month.

Harry told the BBC: “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40.

“Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work.

“Being a dad is one of life’s greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place.

“Bring on the next decade.”

Harry is expected to celebrate his 40th birthday with family and friends before spending some time away with a group of close pals, according to reports.

The first in-depth details about Meghan and Harry’s troubled relationship with the royal family were revealed in a dramatic interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.

The Sussexes laid bare their brief life as a working royal couple, alleging a member of the family – not the late Queen or Duke of Edinburgh – made a racist comment about their son, and how the duchess had suicidal thoughts, but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down.

Tensions between Harry and William are said to have begun before the Sussexes’ 2018 wedding, with the duke accusing his older brother of being snobbish to his bride, a rift which has only widened.

Harry and Meghan launched a number of legal battles against British newspaper publishers in recent years, going against the old adage ascribed to the royals of “never explain, never complain”.

The duke told an ITV documentary earlier this year that his determination to fight the tabloids over allegations of phone hacking was a “central piece” in destroying his relationship with his family.

Meanwhile, his legal dispute with the Home Office over his security while in the UK is said to have frustrated the King.

But the Sussexes have established their Archewell Foundation to support good causes and Harry’s Invictus Games, a paralympic-style competition for injured military and veterans, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.

The couple remain active on the world stage, completing royal family-style official visits to Nigeria and Colombia this year and there are reports Harry wants to increase the handful of UK engagements he carries out annually.