COVER STORY Will Harry’s marriage survive?
Insider says that royal rift could break them
Since Prince Harry stepped down as a senior royal last year and moved to California, he has made it clear that he and wife Meghan Markle are trying to distance themselves from the royal family. But as they immerse themselves more and more into the showbiz lifestyle of Los Angeles, having already signed deals with Netflix and Spotify worth an estimated £130m, they could be toeing a risky line as they continue to profit off the royal brand.
Royal expert and author Duncan Larcombe said, “Harry and Meghan seem to think they can co-exist in these two worlds – the world of British royals and American celebrity.” But while it seems like Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, are enjoying both at the moment, Duncan suspects that the struggle to maintain this delicate balance has the potential to cause major problems for the couple in the future.
Duncan told Closer magazine, “Harry’s totally sacrificed relations with his family for his new life with Meghan, and things seem to have been done her way and with her needs first. But ultimately, Harry will want and need his family – they are his flesh and blood.” He adds, “I think Harry and Meghan will have to make compromises to make things work with the royals, and even to save their marriage, because there will be a point when he’ll be torn between Meghan’s world and his own family. They need to plan what they say and do moving forward, and communicate with the royals if they want to have a relationship with Harry’s family.”
Meghan and Harry live in a $14.7m house in Montecito,
California, with their twoyear-old son Archie and onemonth-old daughter Lilibet. But if Harry were to reconcile with the royals, he could be flying back to the UK more regularly, which could mean time apart from Meghan. It’s unclear whether she would want to visit with him and see his family again after they gave interviews detailing how unhappy they were when in the UK.
However, time in different countries could be tough for the pair. It’s been claimed that longdistance was part of the reason why Meghan’s first marriage, to TV producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 until 2013, didn’t work out. Meghan – who filed
‘They are his flesh and blood’
for divorce citing irreconcilable differences – was flying to Toronto to film TV show Suits, while Trevor remained in Los Angeles. A source said, “It was a very difficult way to start married life.” Things worsened, and while Meghan’s acting career blossomed, Trevor allegedly said that he felt like “a piece of something stuck to the bottom of Meghan’s shoe.”
Harry’s recent trip to England to unveil the statue of Princess Diana on what would have been her 60th birthday with his brother Prince William means it’s likely to have hit home how much he’s sacrificed for his new life. “Harry is loving the American life now, but he’s still in the honeymoon phase,” Duncan says. “I think coming back and seeing his brother, especially against the very moving backdrop of a memorial for their mother, will maybe make him question what he’s given it all up for.”
While the brothers united for the emotional occasion, things could still be frosty behind the scenes, as Duncan claims that William, 39, will be anticipating what business venture Harry and Meghan will put their name to next. “What do they do next? That’s a question Prince William is dreading the answer to,” says Duncan. “Prince Harry hasn’t exactly been subtle. He’s revealed to the world that he pretty much hates his family and the whole system is rotten to the core. But by continually talking about the royals, they’re cashing in on the brand. If they spend their whole careers selling that royal brand, they’ll never speak to William again.”
It’s also been reported that Prince Charles had planned a one-to-one dinner with his youngest son while he was back. Charles, 72, was in Scotland at the time, but intended to travel back to London and was said to be “dreading” the dinner, which was an attempt to smooth things out after Harry and Meghan’s explosive tell-all interview with Oprah. However, it is unclear if the dinner went ahead as Harry returned to California a day after his mother’s statue unveiling. But the fact they were even willing to make a plan to meet suggests that tensions could be thawing between Harry and the royals.
‘What do they do next?’