Meghan Markle and Prince Harry divorce rumours examined from ‘control’ to ‘book deal’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been often been forced to deal with rumours surrounding their relationship.

And now a scathing article by the previously supportive Vanity Fair magazine has sparked even more speculation about their marriage. The glossy publication has published a cover article about the couple for its latest issue headlined ‘American Hustle’. It delves into Harry and Meghan’s lives five years since they decided to quit as working royals.

Cryptically, the article speculated on rumours that Meghan had been approached to write a “post-divorce” book. However, it also stated in the piece that this was not on the horizon for the Sussexes with another source saying their “love is real” and that they are “still hot for each other. “

In addition, one of Meghan’s friends shut down the claims, saying: “If that’s true to any degree, she would have been approached and not vice versa. ” The Mirror has contacted the Sussexes for comment. In recent months, Harry and Meghan have been making more and more separate public appearances as they pursue different careers paths.

Their last public appearance together came several weeks ago when Harry and Meghan visited a meal distribution centre providing relief to those affected by the devastating widlfires that had swept across Los Angeles. However, at the end of last year, Harry’s appearances mainly coincided with his charity work, while Meghan was spotted on several glamorous red carpets. It was just two years ago that Meghan famously said that she and Harry are like “salt and pepper” – they always “move together”.

Another source reportedly close to the couple said the reason for their solo appearances was down to a shift in their ventures. They told People magazine: “It’s clear that a twin-track approach is evolving. ” While another friend added: “The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals – not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track. “

In fact, last month when Harry appeared at the New York Times DealBook Summit, he was asked about the speculation surrounding him and his wife. Laughing it off he said: “Apparently, we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what? “

Remarking that “it’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it”, Harry went on to joke that he felt sorry for the trolls commenting on the state of his marriage, as their “hopes are just built and built, and it doesn’t happen”. It came as a friend of the Sussexes explained that their separate appearances far from signals a split, saying: “[It’s] as much a reflection on parenting priorities, in that one of them stays behind with the children. “

PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Telegraph that the Sussexes’ “separation of work” has been ongoing for a while now, especially as Meghan works on her new American Riviera Orchard brand and Netflix show With Love, Meghan. And he believes the reason behind their solo appearances is because their “star power” as a couple that they believed they might have had when they dramatically quit their royal roles “didn’t work”. He explained: “They had to change the narrative. They need a venture that deflects from the failures.

“The charity aspect impresses upon everybody that he [Harry] does have value beyond the controversial stuff. It has the effect of separating them from the bad press and the failed content ideas. The punters still have time for Harry. “

The Vanity Fair piece also contains sources talking about the Sussexes’ relationship with a source saying in a way Meghan seems to be “reparenting” Harry. The source continued: “I can picture him meeting Meghan and being just a deep breath of, like, ‘I’ve been so exhausted, and you make everything so easy. ‘ I don’t want to be like, oh, it’s an Oedipus thing or whatever, but it kind of feels like she’s reparenting him in a way. “

And there are also more more troubling claims about what it’s allegedly like to work for the couple. These follow previous bullying accusations against Meghan, which she has always strenuously denied. Vanity Fair quotes insiders as claiming Meghan could be “really, really awful” when things did not go her way at work and that things often went poorly due to the couple’s ‘demands’.

According to The Times, the Sussexes have dismissed the allegations with a source close to them describing them as ‘distressing’. In the past, staff members have also spoke out in defence of the couple, describing them as caring employers.

But royal historian and expert Dr Tessa Dunlop says none of the criticism of the couple’s work endeavours since leaving the royal fold “should surprise us”. She told the Mirror: “It has only been five years since they broke free of the British monarchy, post-Sandringham summit. It was never going to be easy to leave the Royal Family, an institution with a millennia-long reputation for looking after their own.

“Harry is like a fish out of water because he was born to be royal, to exist in a privileged world where all he had to do was be polite. That is no longer enough; with no commercial track record, the prince has to keep the fires burning in 13 fireplaces in that Californian mansion. ” The piece also quotes a source saying that Harrydoesn’t really want to be famous and would rather just do charity work.

And Tessa added: “Where you well may ask, is Harry in this piece Harry is sidelined as a lonely, litigation-obsessed, immaculately mannered chap who ‘looks like the kind of guy who would, frankly, happily work for charities for the rest of his life and would be very happy if Meghan made all the money’.

“Well, he did come from a state-funded institution renowned for charitable works. You can take the prince out of the palace but retraining is a little hard after a life-long existence in a glad-handing, philanthropic gilded cage where you are forced to be famous

“It is an unedifying read, that singles out Harry as friendless, marooned through his own poor decision-making, miles from home with a controlling wife who he is not relaxed around. A media circus surrounds the Sussexes, one that they depend on, that traps them in Montecito, a place full of famous people who don’t like the fact Harry and Meghan have put their town on the map.

“By all accounts, they are branded ‘local villains’ in their own Californian neighbourhood. Although it all depends on who you talk to. Sharon Stone has since come out in support of the couple. Harry and Meghan can take solace in Oscar Wilde’s observation ‘the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. ‘”

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Source: Mirror