A royal expert says that while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pursue different goals, there’s a growing divide between them and the rest of Harry’s family
With an awkward royal diary clash and the announcement of Meghan Markle ’s Hollywood comeback, the rift between the Sussexes and the royal family could not have looked more glaring. Last week Prince Harry risked overshadowing his brother by embarking on his own high-profile foreign trip, just as Prince William was visiting Brazil for his much-anticipated Earthshot Prize and to represent the King at the COP30 climate change summit.
The timing could hardly have been worse, with photos of the Duke of Sussex posing with soldiers in Canada emerging as William was giving his keynote speech at the eco conference. As if that wasn’t enough, Harry’s wife Meghan then stole headlines from both of them, after it was announced that she’s to make her acting comeback with a role in a big-budget Hollywood movie.
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The former Suits actress, who quit acting when she became a member of the royal family, has landed a part in upcoming blockbuster Close Personal Friends, co-starring Emily In Paris actress Lily Collins and Marvel regular Brie Larson.
While movie insiders are said to have been “sworn to secrecy” over the specifics of her role, it’s been reported that Meghan will play herself and sees the part as a “massive moment” that could herald a full-time return to acting after an eight-year hiatus.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claims the week’s events not only show that the feud between the Sussexes and royals is “alive and well”, but also points to a growing divide between Harry and Meghan, with her focus on a Hollywood comeback further proof that a return to the UK isn’t on the cards any time soon.
“Meghan’s decision to appear as herself in a Hollywood comedy film definitely emphasises her shift towards the US,” he tells us. “But Harry still feels very deeply about his homeland and would like to spend more time in the UK. The same cannot be said for Meghan, so there’s a clear divergence in opinions there.
“We also don’t know what will come after this film, but we do know they have Netflix projects to deliver, so this may only be the start for her in Hollywood.”
Last week Harry, who flew to Canada shortly after announcing the trip to mark “the period of Remembrancetide”, which traditionally runs from 1 to 11 November, wrote an essay titled The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What It Means To Be British. In it, he described the privilege he felt to have served alongside men and women from all four corners of the UK.
He went on to describe the “banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands” as the “things that make us British”, adding, “I love it.”
The letter, Richard says, is another clear indication of how deeply “self-exiled Harry misses the UK”, while Meghan is laser-focused on building her brand Stateside and will want to distance herself from the turmoil surrounding Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) as much as possible.
“Harry would very much like to see more of his father, especially as he has said publicly he doesn’t know how long he will live for,” says Richard. “It’s also Charles’s birthday very soon, and that will no doubt trigger more feelings of regret for Harry.
“But Meghan is focused on her commercial success. Her brand is currently far enough removed that it shouldn’t be damaged and she will certainly want to keep it that way. The levels of toxicity are such that there is certainly potential for damage to be done.”
Meghan was spotted on the set of the new film last week, with a source telling the US magazine People, “She seemed very relaxed and happy. She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down to earth.”
Last week, Prince Harry’s team strongly dismissed any suggestion of an intentional clash between him and his older brother. They pointed out that the Toronto events were planned “nearly a year ago”, and the duke “can’t choose to move” the dates when Remembrancetide is marked.
But according to royal commentator Richard, the diary clash and inevitable talk of their estrangement have done little to repair frosty relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the family.
“It was outrageous for Earthshot to be overshadowed, first by Harry’s visit, and then by news of Meghan’s film,” he claims. “The feud appears to be alive and well and living, and that any relationship between William and Harry is unfortunately water under the bridge.
“Harry’s relationship with his father is another matter, but I suspect William is not on Harry’s list of priorities any more.”
As the King approaches his 77th birthday on 14 November and continues to be treated for cancer, he is also managing the shocking fallout from the revelations surrounding the relationship between his younger brother Andrew and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Last month he announced he’d begun the formal process of stripping Andrew of his Prince and Duke of York titles as well as his right to live at Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate. Richard says witnessing his father deal with the crisis will be especially hard for California-based Harry, who has only seen the King in person once in almost two years.
“Harry will feel deeply for his father,” he says. “It’s absolutely hellish for Charles at the moment – the situation is agonising – and of course Harry can see this. On a human level, it will be very difficult for him to witness.”
