Prince Harry's solo trips without Meghan Markle hasn't 'burned all his bridges' with UK public, expert says

The Duke of Sussex has been on a whirlwind tour, jetting from New York to London and then to Johannesburg for a string of solo engagements , leaving wife Meghan Markle and their kids, Archie and Lilibet, behind. Prince Harry's energetic re-emergence in the public eye, especially in support of beloved charities like WellChild and Sentebale, has many royal watchers suggesting he's easing back into his duties.

Amidst this flurry of activity , a top royal expert has dished out her thoughts to OK!, noting that Harry still possesses a "charming and engaging" quality that endears him to those in the UK.

Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent, weighed in on Harry's rapport with the British public, stating: "I don't think Harry has burned all his bridges with the British public. There's something about Harry that remains quite charming and engaging."

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Despite previous scandals, Bond contemplates the possibility of Harry regaining public affection: "His many attacks on his family will never be forgotten... but perhaps they can eventually be forgiven, by enough people anyway, to make him welcome here," reports the Mirror .

However, she warns that a full royal return seems unlikely for Harry: "But, I do not think Harry wants to return to his previous life in any shape or form. He is forging a different way of 'service' as he puts it... and that's the path I think he will continue on while Meghan pursues more commercial activities."

In an emotionally-charged chat with Jonathan Haidt, the insightful author behind The Anxious Generation, Harry laid bare his worries on World Mental Health Day on October 10. In particular, about how smartphones might be pilfering those carefree days of youth.

The prince spoke out, lamenting that "in many cases, the smartphone is stealing young people's childhood," thus shining a light on kids' escalating reliance on technological crutches. He also made it a point to finger the true culprits behind this depressing drama, rebutting the all-too-convenient tale spun by social media companies that parents are to blame: "Well, you know, this is down to you. This is down to your parenting."

Haidt stood firmly against this oversimplified pointing of fingers at parental oversight regarding screen engagement, saying: "If there were some parents who were getting this wrong and most parents were getting it right, then I'd be very receptive to that argument." However, he elaborated with concern, explaining, "But once kids get a phone and social media, the rest of family life turns into a fight over screen time. And this is happening everywhere."

Haidt didn't hold back in blasting tech behemoths for ensnaring families in this dilemma, openly accusing them: "The tech companies put us in a bind, and then they're trying to blame us for what they did."

These latest reflections from Harry add to a growing list of appearances, like his talks at the Clinton Foundation, where he has tackled the perils social media represents and its impact on how children relate to their virtual worlds.

Meghan recently voiced her apprehension on CBS Sunday Morning concerning the online world’s impact, explaining, "Our kids are young - they're 3 and 5. They're amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them. So as we can see what's happening in the online space, we know that there's a lot of work to be done there, and we're just happy to be able to be a part of change for good."

Harry emphasized the urgency of the problem, stating, "At this point, we've got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder. And even the best first responders in the world wouldn't be able to tell the signs of possible suicide. That is the terrifying piece of this."