Prince Harry ventures out without Meghan Markle in ’desperate’ bid to repair public image: ’Wanted space from...’

Prince Harry has undertaken a series of solo international trips in recent weeks amid growing buz about a rift with wife Meghan Markle. Speculative reports indicate the Duke of Sussex is 'desperate' to improve his public image and "wants space" to do it on his own. Similar assertions have also been made about his wife as she showcased a "bold and confident" new look while walking the ramp for a Los Angeles gala this week.

“This definitely feels like he is upping his game to cement his position as a serious player on the international stage. He’s always been desperate to be taken seriously and people I know say his fall from grace will really have got to him,” an anonymous source in London told the Daily Mail.

Prince Harry visited Lesotho and Johannesburg in neighbouring South Africa last week as part of a four-day trip to the continent. He had previously opted to travel solo for multiple high-profile engagements in New York and a brief trip to London for the WellChild Awards.

Royal watchers however voiced surprise that Markle remains conspicuously absent throughout this time. A source in California told the publication that Prince Harry had "wanted it this way" without divulging additional details.

“There may be a good reason she can’t leave the kids, but she’s never been to Lesotho and that surprises me — it is like a second home [to Harry] and royal family there is like his second family. Sentebale is such a big part of his life, you’d think he would want to share it,” the unnamed source in London told the Daily Mail.

Numerous reports in recent weeks indicate the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are opting to chart their own, separate courses while establishing a new personal identity. A friend of the couple recently told People magazine that a “twin-track approach” was now evolving for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

"The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals — not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track," a Royal insider recently told the publication.