Prince Harry has a close inner circle in the US as he turns 40, including his “California brother”, it has been claimed.
The Duke of Sussex’s familial tensions might still be rife in the UK, but the same cannot be said for his “Californian family”.
When Harry, who celebrated his 40th birthday at his Montecito home on Sunday, moved away from his UK relatives in 2020, a sense of loneliness could have ensued.
But the opposite occurred, with the father-of-two gaining a new tribe of American friends.
Doria Ragland has been a close source of support to Harry and Meghan
Getty
On Sunday, Nacho Figueras dubbed Harry his “brother” in a gushing birthday tribute post and signed it off with the intimate words “love you”.
The royal has also gained a “surrogate father”, a second mother, and a “fairy godmother”, according to recent claims.
Harry’s friendship with Figueras dates back to 2007. They have played polo alongside one another in various matches over the years.
The father-of-four – dubbed the “David Beckham of Polo” – was also among a handful of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s closest confidantes who appeared in the couple’s Netflix documentary.
In September 2019, Figueras appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’s show to announce that he would “defend his friends” with his life.
Since moving the US, Prince Harry has formed a close relationship with Canadian composer David Foster, 74, and his American idol runner up wife, Katharine McPhee, 40.
Foster, who is just a year younger than King Charles, has been described by some as a “father figure” to Harry, and also helped the Sussex couple find their Canadian hideaway before they moved to California.
The duke is known to have had a strained relationship with the King and his brother Prince William, since he and Meghan quit as royals and emigrated to the US.
In May 2020, McPhee told Access Hollywood: “My husband has a really, really beautiful relationship with Harry. They’re so cute. They’re like father and son.”
Prince Harry is fortunate to have formed a close relationship with Meghan’s mother, 68-year-old Doria Ragland.
In 2020, when Harry transitioned from his position as a senior working royal, he was said to rely on Ragland for advice and support in Princess Diana’s absence.
Another member of Harry’s inner circle is Oprah Winfrey, who the duke dubbed one of his “fairy godmothers” at a book store opening earlier this month.
David Foster has reportedly become a father-figure to Prince Harry
PA
Harry and Meghan’s friendship with the star was sparked when they invited Winfrey to their evening reception at Frogmore House, attended only by their closest relatives and pals.
The chat show host had been invited to the ceremony at St George’s Chapel, inside Windsor Castle, despite only having apparently met Meghan face-to-face once. It is not thought she had ever met Harry in person.
Winfrey, who now counts the couple as neighbours in Montecito, has maintained warm relationships with the couple after attending their nuptials.
She even gifted Prince Archie, now five, a library of books when he was born. “I don’t know the baby’s name or the baby’s gender, but this baby will have enough books to last a lifetime!” Winfrey told Access Hollywood.
