Princes at war: Secret royal rift revealed
Meghan plays palace peacemaker
The Duchess of Sussex’s own family might be a mess, but the newest royal is helping her husband Prince Harry build bridges with his.
When Harry first fell in love with the US actress, one of the things the unlikely pair bonded over was their difficult family situations.
While Meghan had been estranged from her siblings for many years and rarely spoke to her dad Thomas, Harry was in the midst of a bitter rift with his stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall. He and his father Prince Charles also shared a strained relationship, and Harry, 33, had confided in friends he felt it was in danger of breaking apart entirely.
But now, after Charles, 69, walked Meghan down the aisle due to her father’s last-minute cancellation, sources say the relationship between the heir and his son is finally y thawing. And it’s all down to Harry’s wife.
“Charles and Camilla adore Meghan, and she has really helped Harry to start seeing a different viewpoint,” ,” a palace insider reveals. “The 20-year anniversary of Princess Diana’s death opened up a lot of old wounds for Harry and Prince William, and things got very awkward between them and Charles. At one stage, they hardly spoke for six months.
“At the same time, they’ve always found Camilla very hard to deal with.”
But Harry and Meghan’s fairytale Windsor Castle wedding on May 19 appears to have been a turning point. Meghan, 36, was touched by the way Charles and Camilla took care of her 61-year-old mother Doria Ragland, who was the only member of Meghan’s family present at the historic event.
“Doria was absolutely petrified sitting there in that church, but her nerves melted away when she was escorted out of the chapel by Charles and Camilla,” reports our insider. “They stayed at her side most of the day and made sure she never felt alone. It was a wonderful gesture and one that really spoke volumes for Harry. It felt so compassionate and warm, which is exactly what he’d felt he’d been missing all these years from his dad and stepmother.”
Dependabledad
The first sign of a thawing came at the altar of the church, when the groom whispered, “Thanks, Pa,” to his dad as he delivered Meghan safely to him. Days later, at a Buckingham Palace event to mark Charles’ upcoming 70th birthday, Harry reiterated his gratitude to his father in a public speech.
At the same event, Camilla and Meghan – both divorcées who have married into the royal family – were spotted sharing a tender moment, clasping hands like dear
friends. A guest at the party says, “They were really friendly. The relationship is obviously very comfortable and supportive.”
Tells our royal insider, “Meghan has been teaching Harry the importance of moving on and putting past hurts behind them. She is a firm believer in giving people a second chance.
“Her joy for life and upbeat nature are having a positive effect on everyone in the royal family – not just Harry,” says the source, who adds that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have become closer to Charles and Camilla too.
“The reality is they’re all feeling closer right now than they have in years. They’re speaking more and spending greater time together. There’s a lot of water under the bridge, but it’s a start, at least.
“Harry and William are unlikely to forgive Charles’ aloofness or his behaviour towards their mother, but they’re beginning to understand just how important family is and they want things to be better between them all. This is the start of a new chapter.”
Meanwhile, Harry is encouraging California-raised Meghan to build bridges with her own father, with the pair planning a trip to Mexico. “Together they’re determined to make things right and they want Meghan’s father to know they don’t hold any grudges towards him,” says the insider. “They hope he can get his life back on track.”
The newlyweds have also been house-hunting for a Malibu place to call home when they’re in the States, which will make it easier for them to spend time with Meghan’s folks.
Another source adds, “If Harry and Meghan had a home in Malibu, it would make their globetrotting a lot easier as they could stop off in between visits. If they do come over to see Meghan’s dad, they will no doubt be checking out potential properties. There’s a lot of talk in Malibu realestate circles about which house the royal couple will purchase.”