WORLD EXCLUSIVE: IT’S THE END FOR HARRY & MEGHAN
After months of feuding and with the imminent countdown to the birth of their first child, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made a shocking decision.
Despite recent high profile appearances – including last week’s very public display of friendship between Meghan and Kate – the couple have decided to leave palace life behind them. They will be moving out of Kensington Palace and into Frogmore Cottage, nestled within the Windsor Estate, earlier than planned, New Idea has learned.
At the end of January it was widely reported that renovations on the 10-bedroom, heritagelisted house had sped up amid rumours that tensions between the Sussexes and Cambridges had reached fever point.
Radar Online reported at the beginning of March that Meghan was reaching breaking point as she attempted to get the renovations completed, with an insider revealing that “she’s making demands left and right and friends worry because she is on the go all the time”.
To make matters worse, onlookers were quick to notice that Meghan wasn’t wearing her engagement ring during a visit to Canada House last week and also at the Commonwealth Day events at Westminster Abbey. That choice sparked speculation that there could be growing tensions between the couple.
However, royal experts have suggested that the reason she ditched her diamond dazzler could also be due to pregnancyrelated water retention, no doubt made worse by stress and the mum-to-be’s busy schedule.
What’s more, the young royals appear to be making a very concerted effort to put on a united front as they make their last appearances together before the new parents take steps to withdraw from public life.
It appears Kate was instrumental in deciding that it was time for everyone to put their past squabbles and dramas behind them.
Vanity Fair reports that she was keen to ensure the Commonwealth Day service went without a hitch and sent the right message before Meghan went on maternity leave.
A source told the magazine that, “Kate has no issue with Meghan”, adding, “For Kate, it’s about keeping their relationship professional and putting on a show of togetherness.”
While the one-time Fab Four reportedly have no plans for any future joint appearances, it’s likely they’ll still come together for family functions and charitable occasions.
“It’s not always been easy, there have been issues behind the scenes, but Harry and Meghan want to leave on good terms and Kate especially has been making a real effort,” a second source told Vanity Fair.
“There are no bad feelings and I think Kate was keen to put an end to these rift rumours. She has no problem with Meghan and she has made it clear to Meghan that she’s there for advice or whatever Meghan might need.”
Significantly there weren’t
“KATE HAS NO ISSUE WITH MEGHAN. FOR KATE, IT’S ABOUT KEEPING THEIR RELATIONSHIP PROFESSIONAL”
any signs of discord between the royal brothers last week either. There had appeared to be some during other recent engagements when they seemed to take great pains to stay away from each other.
Body language expert Judi James told the Express newspaper that there were even “signs of strong bonding” between the two brothers who reportedly have been at loggerheads for the past year.
She also noted that the way the two duchesses greeted each other spoke volumes too, and was very different to the over-the-top and “performed” displays of affection that were seen during their outings over the Christmas period.
“It was clear Kate and Meghan were keen to signal bonds of warm friendship today, rather than the either distant or over-congruent displays from the last couple of outings,” Judi explained. While Meghan “seemed to be the one trying to reignite that spark” by smiling widely at her sister-in-law, Kate also made “active moves” towards appearing happy to see Meghan.
But despite the women reaching an agreement to draw a line under their previous problems, it was clear during the service that Meghan is finding the lead up to her last month of pregnancy tough going. Physically she is said to be feeling exhausted and appeared to only half joke when she said “I’ll put my feet up” after being asked how she was treating herself on International Women’s Day.
There’s little doubt pressure has been building for the heavily pregnant royal for the past few weeks.
It’s been reported the parentsto-be are losing a third member of their staff – Meghan’s
right-hand woman, Amy Pickerill, who is “very close” to the former actress, according to royal correspondent Rebecca English, but is leaving the position to move overseas.
Then Meghan faced a backlash for allegedly announcing she would raise a gender fluid child, causing Kensington Palace to take the unusual step of issuing a public statement in response, saying the story was “totally false”.
However, Meghan’s friends once again responded with barely disguised messages of support via Instagram. Jessica Mulroney captioned a photo with a long description of the importance of friends, writing, “You never know what is going on behind closed doors” and in words clearly directed at her BFF: “The best thing you can be is a good friend”.