The daughter he longed for
Charles and Meghan’s touching bond, plus his plot to be king at 70
What do you give the man who has everything for his 70th birthday? For Prince Charles, there’s no better gift than the daughter he never had.
While past royal brides Princess Diana and the Duchess of York were casualties of the Windsor clan’s infamous cold shoulder and stiff upper lip, for the Duchess of Sussex, her father-in-law Charles has welcomed her with open arms and a warm heart.
“Anyone who thinks all the scandal stirred up by Meghan’s family has put Charles off his new daughter-in-law couldn’t be more mistaken,” reveals a palace source. “If anything, it’s done the complete opposite. Because of the way Meghan has held her head up high and carried on, Charles has nothing but the deepest respect for her.”
The prince’s admiration comes from his own experience of weathering what seemed like endless scandal and bad press during his ill-fated marriage to Diana, amid their bitter divorce and after her untimely death at age 36.
“Meghan’s father and halfsister have poured out some pretty awful vitriol in the press, and Charles understands how difficult it must be,” says the source, adding that the prince and duchess are similar in that “they’ve both put on a strong public face and not hidden away, despite what they’ve felt inside”.
In fact, some courtiers say Charles is beginning to see Meghan as the daughter he never had, with the pair bonding over their passions for art, history and music.
Indeed, in a new doco, the duchess reveals that ahead of her wedding she worked closely with Charles on selecting which music would be played, adding that it was “really fun” and he has “incredible taste”.
“It helps that Meghan is fascinated by British history and royal history in particular – far more than her husband,” says an insider. “Meghan often turns to Charles for advice and completely trusts him.
“For his part, Charles has started sharing his more personal thoughts on how to thrive under the microscope of royal life. He thinks she’s incredibly smart and believes her Hollywood training has helped her to withstand the massive scrutiny she’s been under since she met Harry.”
However, Meghan has made the odd slip-up. For example, earlier this year Charles invited her to join him and the Duchess of Cornwall on a private tour of an exhibition he’d curated. Meghan initially accepted, but when she was told a documentary crew would be present, she pulled out. Cancelling on Charles is not exactly the done thing, but the Prince of Wales didn’t appear too bothered.
Family bonding
In fact, over the British summer, Charles entertained Harry and Meghan at the Castle of Mey in Scotland. While Camilla was spending time with her own family, the three of them bonded over coastal walks and bird watching. “William and Kate had been invited too, but declined,” says a source, “so Charles was tickled pink when Harry and Meghan joined him.”
The new duchess has never taken for granted Charles’ kindness when he walked her down the aisle at her wedding in May, after her
father Thomas Markle pulled out at the 11th hour amid revelations he’d sold stories and pictures to the press.
When Charles heard the news, Harry recalls his dad saying, “I’ll do whatever Meghan needs.” He adds, “I was grateful for him to be able to do that.”
And Meghan is grateful that Charles has taken her mother Doria Ragland – the only member of her family to attend the big day – under his wing. Now with Harry and Meghan expecting their first child, Charles is heavily involved in preparation for the new arrival.
In return, Meghan has been instrumental in bringing Harry closer to his father, says our palace source. “She feels lucky to have Charles and he’s made it clear he’ll always be there for her. He’s often wondered what it would be like to have a daughter of his own – and now he knows!”