As Prince Harry prepares to celebrate his 40th birthday on September 15, he's likely to feel grateful for the peaceful life he's built after leaving the Royal Family .
Harry now lives in America with his loving wife Meghan Markle and their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Despite the challenges Harry and Meghan have faced since stepping down from their royal duties, one expert has highlighted how fatherhood has transformed the Duke of Sussex .
"I think he is relishing his role as a parent and playing the fullest part he can in the lives of his two tots," royal expert Jennie Bond said. As a devoted dad, Harry is likely to be heavily involved in his children's lives, including taking them to school.
Bond believes Harry finds a sense of security and stability in his family, which was lacking in his own childhood due to his parents' troubled marriage. Harry and his brother Prince William had a difficult childhood, marked by their parents' highly publicized split and the resulting tensions.
"It's hard to know exactly when the damage wrought by his parents' broken marriage began to make its mark on Harry," Jennie told OK! Magazine . "He was only eight when Charles and Diana officially separated, but he had witnessed the marital difficulties long before that.
"I'm sure the insecurity of his own childhood has made him all the more determined to give his kids the perfect upbringing and to have them wrapped in a bubble of love and awareness of the love between their parents."
Archie and Lilibet have spent very little time with relatives from both sides of their family amid a bitter feud. "This is the saddest part of their exile," Jennie said.
"At the moment, the children don't know any difference, but as they grow up Harry and Meghan will have some delicate maneuvering to negotiate to explain the situation. It must be something that troubles Harry as a dad."
Despite his ongoing legal battle over security, Harry has expressed his desire to raise his children with a clear understanding of both sides of his heritage. Jennie added: "Imagine Archie, aged 15, telling his friends, 'My grandpa is/was King! And my uncle is/will be King too.' But he hardly knew or met them. How sad."
Harry often shares snippets about his family life. Revealing a glimpse into their personal world during a chat on Good Morning America in February, he said: "The kids are doing great, growing up like all kids do very, very fast. They've both got an incredible sense of humour and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, like most kids do. I'm just grateful to be a dad."
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