Prince Harry reportedly sold a pair of handmade hunting rifles, following his decision to quit bloodsports, allegedly to please his wife Meghan Markle. The father-of-one, 39, was previously an enthusiastic hunter, having been photographed with a water buffalo he had killed in 2005.

However, it’s believed that animal-loving Meghan, 43, influenced his decision to step away from bloodsports, leading to the sale of the rifles, estimated to be worth £50,000, in a private deal back in 2020. This occurred before the couple left the UK for Canada, and subsequently moved to Los Angeles. The Purdey firearms were purchased by an anonymous buyer, whose friend told The Sun: “He bought them because he wanted them, not because they belonged to Harry, but he was quite chuffed when he found out.” They added: “They are beautiful examples and he’s very pleased with them but he’s not the sort of person who wants to boast about the royal connection.”

The same year, conservationist Dr Jane Goodall told Radio Times that she believed Prince Harry would stop hunting because Meghan doesn’t approve. In December 2018, during the couple’s first Christmas together, rumours circulated that Prince Harry would abstain from a traditional Boxing Day hunt, which palace sources dismissed as ‘completely untrue’, reports the Mirror.

The news of the rifle sale came a week after reports suggested Prince Harry told friends he missed the ‘camaraderie’ of life in the forces. Prince Harry was stripped of his military titles, including Captain General of the Royal Marines and Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington, when he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The Duke of Sussex reportedly expressed to friends his disbelief at how his life was ‘turned upside down’ after relocating to the US.

Meanwhile, a source recently told OK! how Meghan ‘wants her old life back’. She gave up her life in Toronto – where she had a host of A-list pals and enjoyed lavish private members clubs – after the pair got engaged. However, according to the source, Meghan has learned the hard way that being a duchess isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

The source said: “Meghan has made no secret of how much she misses her care-free life when she was an actress and while she’d never change what she has with Harry and the kids, there is a big part of her that she wishes she could just get her old life back.

“She loved being in Suits and all the opportunities it gave her, she’d get invited to all the exclusive events and get to hang out with Hollywood A-listers but there was so much less scrutiny and attention and there was no pressure on her.”