London - Prince Harry is finding life "‘a bit challenging" following his move to North America, his friend Dr Jane Goodall has revealed.
The 86-year-old primatologist has "been in touch" with Harry after he quit frontline royal duties to live in Canada and then Los Angeles with wife Meghan and baby Archie.
The couple are both fans of the world-renowned activist and invited her to their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor last summer. Dr Goodall believes she may have been one of the first people outside the family to hold Archie.
She is currently in lockdown in Bournemouth where she opened up about Harry and his new life. She told Radio Times: "I don’t know how his career is going to map out, but, yes, I’ve been in touch – though I think he’s finding life a bit challenging right now."
At the suggestion that Harry and his brother William are champions of the natural world, she said: "Yes – except they hunt and shoot. But I think Harry will stop because Meghan doesn’t like hunting, so I suspect that is over for him."
Last week Dr Goodall, who is best known for her studies on chimpanzees, told how the prince had hinted at stepping away from the Royal Family months before the bombshell announcement last year.
She recalled a conversation she had with him last summer at an event to raise awareness of her Roots & Shoots education programme at Windsor Castle.
Dr Goodall said: "I made Archie do the Queen’s wave, saying, “I suppose he’ll have to learn this”.
"Harry said: “No, he’s not growing up like that”.’ The veteran anthropologist said she was currently enjoying being at home, but replying to emails was more tiring than travelling the world.
Asked whether she was getting restless, she said: "No, I hate travelling the way I do, but I still have a message to get out.
"With all the emails and requests I’m getting, this is actually more exhausting than travelling."
Dr Goodall’s latest documentary The Hope – on National Geographic – examines her 60-year legacy of fighting to save the planet. It also features Harry, who champions environmental issues.
At one point during the 90-minute programme, Dr Goodall is seen mimicking an intimate ape greeting with the prince.
Last September Harry interviewed Dr Goodall for British Vogue magazine, which was guest-edited by Meghan. During that interview he said he wanted "two children maximum" and admitted he found what was happening to the environment "terrifying".