Long Before Prince Harry Moved to California, His Mother Princess Diana Dreamed of Doing So Herself
A snippet of Diana’s wishes for her future played out on the most recent season of \201cThe Crown.\201d


When it happened back in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relocation from the U.K. to the U.S.—California specifically—didn’t seem totally random. After all, Meghan is from there, and just as she was willing to relocate to Harry’s native U.K. in the beginning of their marriage, why wouldn’t he be willing to do the same in reverse? But it seems that Harry’s move to the U.S. might have even deeper roots than previously thought, The Daily Express reports.
Harry’s mother Princess Diana had a long-held desire to move part-time to the U.S., specifically to Malibu. This was played out in the most recent season of The Crown, the first half of which dropped on Netflix on Thursday. On the show, Diana (played by Elizabeth Debicki) has a desire to move “away from England,” she shares during a heart-to-heart with Dodi Fayed (played by Khalid Abdalla) in episode three. The two sit on the Fayed yacht in St. Tropez as Diana discusses her struggles with the media, who had been pursuing the two during their holiday together.
“They make like they’re your friend, and then they just write insult after insult anyway,” the character of Diana tells Dodi. “It makes me want to just move away, start afresh. Move to another country. Somewhere like…”
“California,” Dodi suggests. “Exactly,” Diana replies. “Away from England, anyway. Somewhere where one can actually be free. Sit under a tiny tree with a boy you like eating ice cream.”
Although many believe this was a line added in as a foretelling of where her younger son would end up, “In real life, Diana made similar comments during the same period, though in a slightly different context,” The Daily Express reports. “Friends also said relocating to America had been on her mind before her death in a Paris car crash in 1997.”
Also reflected on this season of The Crown, Diana told paparazzi to “expect a surprise move from her,” something that also happened in real life. Charles Rae, a former royal correspondent for The Sun, told Newsweek about the real-life moment where she hinted at moving to America: “They got into the speed boat,” he said. “We all looked, and we think they’re going off to The Jonikal [the Fayed yacht]. They head out, and immediately they turn, and we think to ourselves, ‘She’s coming here.’”
He continued “And she came towards us. She stopped and, as you could see with the picture, she held onto the side of the boat, and she started going on with ‘My kids want me to go to America. I’m sick and tired of everything that’s going on.’ We kept telling her, ‘If you’re upset with us being here, it’s because you’ve got the future king and his brother here, and you’re holidaying with one of Britain’s most controversial men. We’ll speak to our editors and see what they want to do.’ Six times we asked her that question, and each time she said, ‘No, that’s not what I want.’ I just put it down to that phone call. And then at the end, she gave this mysterious statement: ‘You’ll be very surprised with the next thing I do.’”
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Newspaper reports from that time support Rae’s account. The Western Morning News quotes Diana as saying that William and Harry “are always urging me to live abroad,” while The Scotsman reported she said, “Maybe that’s what I should do—live abroad.” Reports also quoted her telling journalists to “expect a big surprise with the next thing I do,” although those present describe a difference in tone than The Crown portrays. “It was not an amicable conversation,” The Evening Standard reports. “Diana was getting increasingly distraught and working herself up.”
Friends and family later told the U.K. police investigating her death—codenamed Operation Paget—that Diana had considered moving to America. And, while Diana was never able to do so, Harry was, 23 years later.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Blake Lively Is Reviving My Early ‘00s Obsession With This Nail Trend
Minimalist nails with a little something extra.
-
Will 'Weak Hero Class' Return for Season 3? Park Ji-hoon Shares His Hopes for the Hit K-Drama's Senior Year
Fans are clamoring for more after that shocking cliffhanger.
-
Prince Charles Made an "Improper" Suggestion Before Their Marriage, Per Diana
*Clutches pearls*
-
Princess Diana Thought This Suggestion Prince Charles Made Before Their Engagement Was "Most Improper"
*Clutches pearls*
-
Princess Diana Nearly Caused Two Hollywood Heartthrobs to Get in a "Fist-Fight" Over Her
"Straight men seemed to completely lose their minds in her presence."
-
Why Meghan Markle Sends "Secret Emails" to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet "Every Night"
Meghan and Harry's kids will be able to access the emails "maybe when they're 16 or...18."
-
The Kardashian Sister Prince Harry Was Almost Set Up With by a Mutual Friend Before He Met Meghan Markle
"I walked in and saw her with Princess Beatrice."
-
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's Vibrant Red Hair Is the Star of Meghan Markle's Latest Instagram Post
The little royals most definitely take after dad Prince Harry.
-
Princess Lilibet's Cute American Accent Is on Full Display as She Taste-Tests Mom Meghan Markle's Jam
The little royal gave her honest review in a seriously sweet Instagram video.
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Make Poignant NYC Appearance to Highlight "Heartbreak" No Parent Should Face
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled a powerful memorial to children lost too soon.
-
Prince Harry Gave Nephew Prince Louis an Extremely Rare Five-Figure Gift for His Christening
Uncle Harry for the gifting win.