I don’t think we should call Prince Harry’s “gap year” a gap year anymore. It truly is a transitional year for him, for sure, but it sounds more and more like he had a laundry list of things he wanted to do and he’s scheduled back-to-back projects for the next year. Unlike William’s second “gap year,” where William fiddled around with co-eds at Cambridge, doing a “bespoke program” that didn’t seem to involve grades or work, and then he just took a half-dozen vacations. Harry’s gap year involves him finishing his military service, going to Africa to volunteer with NGOs, making a 1,000 mile trek across the UK for Walking with the Wounded, and then volunteering with the Ministry of Defense to make the Invictus Games an annual event. And now, sources tell The Daily Mail, Harry might be thinking about a move to Australia next year?

Prince Harry could be effectively emigrating to Australia as he plans a new direction for his life after deciding to leave the Army. Friends say Harry, 30, wants to spend ‘a lot more time there’ starting with the four-week trip he embarks on next month as part of his gap year. And he has told friends that if he enjoys himself during that month-long stint he might even relocate for part of 2016.

A friend says: ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Harry spent longer in Australia. He’ll be living and mixing with Australians, working with the Australian Defence Force and will get a good look at life out there. If he can find a function out there, perhaps some kind of charity military tie-up, that would work. He’s discussed it with friends and colleagues and they say he’ll like it there.’

Another friend says: ‘He loves the fun-loving Aussie girls and there isn’t anyone in the UK holding him back.’

Though Harry’s first love will always be Africa – where he will also go in the coming months – he has shown an interest in all things Australia since 2003 when he worked as a jackaroo at a Queensland cattle station. The Queen would certainly welcome the idea of her grandson strengthening the Monarchy’s ties Down Under, where there is still an undercurrent of republicanism.

Harry is said to find the active yet laid-back way of life appealing and he has Aussies in his friendship group. One of them is singer and former Neighbours actress Natalie Imbruglia. He was guest of honour at her 34th birthday party at the Kensington Roof Gardens in 2009. The couple became close after he split with Chelsy Davy. And he would no doubt get a welcome in Sydney from Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s two daughters, Bridget and Frances, who were won over by him when he visited in 2013.

[From The Daily Mail]

I think it’s totally possible that Harry would consider moving to Australia for a year or two. That was always one of Charles’ dreams too, to be appointed Governor-General of Australia or something like that. I could totally see Harry marrying an Aussie girl too, although I think it’s a fallacy to say that no British girl would have him at this point – I think Harry is just tired of the same-old, same-old. He wants a change. He wants to see more of the world. He’s ready to settle down, in some sense, but he’s also restless with the status quo. That’s how I read it.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.