By Jack RoystonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberPrince Harry is due to speak at a $200-a-head summit on real-estate policy in Canada—an unexpected move that highlights his connection with the country.
Harry and Meghan Markle moved there for a few months as they left the monarchy, only to relocate to California in March 2020.
However, Harry appears to be stepping up his love affair with the Canucks after hosting the Invictus Games in Vancouver in February, paying tribute to war dead for remembrance in November and some very public support for the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series.
...Why It Matters
Vancouver allowed the Invictus Games to have its first ever winter edition, Canada as a Commonwealth country that recognizes King Charles III as head of state brought Harry's remembrance appearances a little closer to the military which he served.
But what's interesting about the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) Power House in Toronto, of which Harry will be a keynote speaker on Monday, December 1, is that the basic subject matter of the summit is so far outside his normal wheelhouse.
In fact, The Daily Beast was so surprised at Harry's choice, they were recently moved to observe: "It is hard to think of a sadder symbol of Prince Harry’s slide from global changemaker to rent-a-prince than the news that he will on Monday take the stage at a Canadian real-estate conference, a pay-to-play gathering designed to hash over Ontario housing policy and zoning permissions."
Beyond any fee, there may be one aspect to the conference enticing Harry to attend and that is the location.
Newsweek has been told that while the summit may be his only public engagement during this trip to Canada, he also has a number of other private meetings.
Prince Harry's Love Affair With Canada
Harry and Meghan have always had links to Canada dating back to the very earliest days of their relationship when Meghan lived in Toronto.
Harry referenced this period during a visit to the city marking remembrance in November when he told a dinner for veterans' organization the True Patriot Love Foundation: “This city will always mean a great deal to me. You provided a wife for me and you hosted the Invictus Games in 2017, touchstones in my life both professionally and personally.”
However, Meghan did not go with him to that event, despite it being in a city she once called home, which hints that Harry may have a particular attachment to Canada that goes beyond Meghan's time there.
One possibility is that as a Commonwealth country that counts Charles as king, he simply has a kind of clout in Canada that may be harder to channel with the Hollywood elite, accustomed to brushing shoulders with the richest people in the world.
Either way, Canada is rapidly becoming a key audience for Harry and now sits alongside New York as one of the only places outside Britain to which he repeatedly returns.
Prince Harry and the Power House Real Estate Conference
Outside of Harry, the speakers are decidedly Canadian, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Stephen Crawford, minister of public and business service delivery and procurement, and Andrew Furey, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Tickets are 299 Canadian dollars (a little more than $200) for OREA members or 499 Canadian dollars (around $350) for non-members and Harry is not expected to talk about real estate.
Instead, he will likely give a speech on leadership and the OREA website gives a hint at what he might cover: "Prince Harry is a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran. His work is dedicated to creating positive and lasting change for communities and the planet, particularly in advancing conversations around resilience and healing."
Harry and Meghan, according to their profile on the summit's website, "remain dedicated to building a more compassionate, equitable world for future generations."
The conference runs from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. ET and Harry appears to be headlining.
Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.
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