Tense Times

Tensions between smitten Prince Harry and his bride-to-be, Meghan Markle, come to a head

As Meghan Markle struggles with her new life in London, she and Prince Harry have their first fight.

Their relationship is like a real-life fairy tale. From the moment Prince Harry and Meghan Markle began dating in July 2016, there have been secret rendezvous and romantic trips all over the world as the American divorcée won the heart of England’s most eligible royal. Then came the official engagement announcement in November.

But real life had to catch up with them eventually. Tensions between Harry and Meghan have been building, over everything from a prenup to her lack of freedom in her new home city, London. Now Life & Style has exclusively learned that the couple had their first fight in December. “Lots of things built up and it just suddenly erupted,” says an insider. Adds a palace staffer: “There were plenty of tears and raised voices.”

Harry, 33, had just returned from a hunting trip to Germany, where he and a group of pals killed 15 wild boars. Meghan, an animal lover who favors vegan leather pants, was horrified and let Harry know it. But she was far more upset that he’d left her alone for two days. The Suits star, 36, has been in London since their engagement became public, focusing on making their official residence, Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, into a cozy home for her and her prince. It’s been a tough adjustment. “She’s started to feel very claustrophobic and hemmed-in,” says the insider. “She can’t go anywhere on her own because of security issues.”

ON HER OWN

With Harry overseas, she felt like she had no one to turn to. “She is missing her family in California and her friends in Toronto [where Suits filmed],” says the insider. During their fight, “she was upset when he didn’t seem to understand how homesick she’d been feeling.”

She certainly couldn’t cry to Queen Elizabeth II. Though the 91-year- old monarch likes Meghan, she hasn’t yet given formal approval for the May wedding, and Meghan was insulted that the queen is pushing for her to sign a prenup to protect Harry’s $40 million fortune. Meghan is hurt, the source says, “that it would even cross the queen’s mind that she could have an ulterior motive for marrying Harry.”

Despite the hurt feelings, Harry and Meghan soon made up. The queen even invited Meghan to spend Christmas with the royals at her country estate, Sandringham, a first for a royal fiancée. That helped smooth things out, and insiders say the argument made the duo stronger in the end. “Harry was being a bit thoughtless, not realizing how much Meghan has to deal with and adjust to,” says the palace staffer. “But he realized his mistake and apologized. He will now make a special effort to be more sympathetic and understanding.”