Category News

It seems Prince Harry is making inroads into a reconciliation with the royals – but it’s something that may leave his wife Meghan feeling somewhat ‘threatened’, a royal expert claims

As the Duke of Sussex works to build bridges with his family in the hope of returning to the UK more frequently, his wife Meghan is said to be bracing herself, “threatened” by the prospect of stepping back into the royal fold, as OK! reveals. Last week, Harry, 41, enjoyed a successful four-day solo visit to his homeland, meeting up with his father, King Charles, for the first time in 19 months.

Asked how his father was shortly after arriving at a reception for the Invictus Games, Harry – whose historic meeting at Clarence House lasted just 54 minutes – replied, “Yes, he’s great, thank you.” And he couldn’t stop smiling as he joked with guests at the central London reception – a marked contrast to the more solemn figure seen on previous UK visits.

READ MORE: Mitchum users issue warning to users of these deodorants after ‘burning’ reaction

Harry’s trip and, crucially, his positive meeting with King Charles, sparked hopes that a reconciliation with the rest of his estranged family could be in the pipeline. But after former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said that Meghan, 44, “would feel somewhat threatened by her husband being drawn back into the royal circle”, a leading psychologist has warned that the mum-of-two’s past trauma could be triggered by such a move.

Meghan has spoken openly about her negative experiences in the UK. In her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, she revealed she felt lonely when she joined the royal family and “didn’t want to be alive any more”, but was refused professional help.

During the legal case over the publication of the handwritten letter from Meghan to her dad, Thomas Markle, documents filed by Meghan’s team revealed she also felt “unprotected by the institution” and “prohibited from defending herself” when she was pregnant with Prince Archie, now six.

According to psychologist Clare Deacon, Meghan’s traumatic experiences won’t “just disappear” because she relocated across an ocean. “It isn’t erased by distance, and even years later, stepping back into a space that once felt emotionally unsafe can activate past fears, doubts, and protective behaviours,” she says.

“If reconciliation [with the royal family] led to a return or increased UK presence, Meghan could understandably feel conflicted – torn between duty, identity and the peace she’s built since.”

She added that Meghan might feel at risk “of losing herself again” if she even temporarily steps back into her old life after “finding her voice and reclaiming her wellbeing”.

Just last week, a friend of the prince revealed he has not abandoned the fight to bring his family back to the UK, telling The Times, “He wants them to know their family here. He really would like to come back to the UK much more.”

The report also claimed that Harry is planning an “under-the-radar” approach to the security issue, and “the government should expect private ‘lobbying’ from the prince” to continue. But bringing Archie and Lilibet, four, into the equation is likely to be even more unsettling for Meghan.

Psychologist Clare, founder of therapy and coaching platform Happya, says Meghan’s instincts will be to shield Archie and Lilibet from any pain she has experienced herself, and therefore bringing them to Britain, even for a short visit, would be difficult.

If a UK visit becomes unavoidable, Clare adds, Meghan needs to “explore what feels unsafe, separating past experience from present reality”, and set firm boundaries for herself and her kids.

Harry, 41, has said he “would love” a reconciliation with his family. But after losing his High Court appeal over his security provisions while in the UK, he said he “can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK”.

In July, rumours of a possible reconciliation ramped up further after a meeting between senior aides from the King’s office and representatives from Harry and Meghan’s communications team.

Meredith Maines of the Sussexes’ California-based PR team and her UK counterpart, Liam Maguire, were pictured on the balcony of a private members’ club in London with Tobyn Andreae, the King’s communication secretary, having what were described as “secret peace talks”.

Last month, Meghan revealed she loves the freedom of living in Montecito, California, branding aspects of her life as a working royal while in the UK as “inauthentic”.

Whether the Sussexes ever fully make peace with the royals again may depend not just on Harry’s longing for home, but also on Meghan’s determination never to lose the freedom she fought so hard to reclaim.

The woman named as Thomas Skinner’s fling has posted a cryptic message on social media hitting out at ‘crybullies’ and ‘narcissists’ after the Strictly star’s ‘fling’ admission

Thomas Skinner’s fling Amy-Lucy O’Rourke has shared a cryptic post after the Strictly Come Dancing confessed to having a ‘fling’ with the beautician boss. Thomas, 34, who shot to fame when he appeared on The Apprentice in 2019, recently admitted to having a brief fling with the weight-loss and aesthetics owner, two weeks after he tied the knot with his wife Sinead in 2022.

Amy-Lucy reposted a quote about narcissists but it remains unknown who she is referring to. The post read: “Narcissists are crybullies. A crybully is someone who plays the victim in a situation they created.”

Thomas, who is a father of three, recently admitted to a two-week fling with Amy-Lucy before guilt consumed him and he confessed to his wife Sinead Skinner. The reality TV star said he was beyond grateful that his wife forgave him.

Thomas, who is set to appear on the BBC dancing programme in a matter of weeks, said in a recent interview: “I had a fling. It was nothing more than that. It was the one time, it was a mistake. I woke up feeling absolutely terrible about it.”

He continued to tell The Sun on Sunday: “I felt so guilty. I told my wife. I let her down in that brief moment of madness where I wasn’t thinking, where I didn’t appreciate what I had. “

He added: “When I told my wife, I fully understood if she was to never speak to me again. No one else made me do what I’ve done. But it just shows something so brief could ruin your life.”

Thomas met Sinead in a bar seven years ago. And just two years on from meeting her, he decided to propose which came three months after they found out they were expecting their first child.

The former market trader recently hit headlines after he suddenly got up and abruptly left a press call after he snatched a reporter’s phone.

Taking to social media to address what has been described as a meltdown, he told his fans: “To set the record straight off the back of yesterday, during one of the interviews, a journalist placed their phone on the table to record the conversation. I happened to catch a glimpse of the screen and saw numerous messages – not about Strictly, but about a personal story from my past.”

He continued: “I’ve been through some difficult times in my life, which I’ve worked hard to move on from. In that moment, seeing it there caught me off guard. I felt it was best to step away and gather myself. This had nothing to do with the interviews or Strictly itself. I’m sorry I picked up someone else’s phone and I don’t even know if the journalist realised their messages were visible, and I don’t want to suggest any bad intentions on their part.”

Thomas concluded: “What I do want to say is how excited I am to be part of Strictly this year. I’m so grateful for all the love, kindness and support I’ve been shown so far. It means the world to me, and I can’t wait to give it my all on that dancefloor. Bosh.”

Strictly is set to kick off on September 20 on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.

READ MORE: ‘Game changer’ viral gel-cream moisturiser that reduces wrinkles in seven days

Celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh has previously spoken about how he is worried about dying young due to his dad passing away at the age of just 62

Alan Titchmarsh has made a morbid confession after saying time is slipping through his fingers. The TV star recently opened up about his worries of dying at a young age due to his father passing away at the age of just 62.

This has led him to already think about what may be said in his obituary. The gardener thinks that his work is bound to be mentioned by everyone he knows.

The star said that there is one word in particular that he is expecting to be in every tribute that’s paid to him. Alan was asked how he feels about seeing “decking and water features” in most towns due to his own gardening influence.

READ MORE: Alan Titchmarsh makes admission about time ‘slipping through fingers’READ MORE: Love Your Garden fans in tears as Alan Titchmarsh sobs over young dad’s heartbreaking diagnosis

Speaking to The Guardian, Alan replied: “Guilty. I know all my obituaries will include the word ‘decking’.” The Gardeners’ World star has been open about his health over recent years and has said that he even had to turn down taking part in Strictly Come Dancing due to aches and pains from his job.

This comes as Alan recently spoke about feeling that time is “slipping through his fingers”. Writing in Gardeners’ World Magazine, he said: “There are those who become maudlin about the increasing speed at which ‘time flies’ and, true enough, the older one becomes, the faster the hours, minutes and seconds seem to slip through one’s fingers.”

Alan has previously confessed his fears of passing away “at a relatively young age” after his father’s death at 62. In a past interview with Yours Magazine, he revealed: “The thing is, the men in my family have had a tendency to die from heart disease at a relatively young age.

READ MORE: Shoppers say hair loss ‘significantly reduced’ with discounted shampoo set

“My dad, for instance, died suddenly in 1986 from a heart attack, aged just 62.” In 2014, Alan started taking statins daily in hopes of extending his life.

He admitted initially not being sure of the treatment, saying: “I don’t like the thought of taking tablets every day, but I’m following my doctor’s advice. He thinks it’s a good idea.”

Alan has said that he has enjoyed having a good life and that it is down to “luck” and “following the wind”. He says that having a job he loves, which allows him to spend time outdoors, along with the love and support from his family, has benefited his wellbeing.

Alan has been a staple on our screens for almost five decades. He began off his career on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours and The Today Programme as a gardening specialist in 1977.

Before that, Alan had worked as an editor of gardening publications before progressing to writing his own work. His love affair with gardening first began in his youth when Alan worked as a trainee gardener with Ilkley Council.