Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear to have very different goals at the moment, and sources tell us the Duchess of Sussex’s plans don’t align with her husband’s family dramas
Prince Harry may have been trying to build bridges with his father ahead of next year’s Invictus Games, but reports that he’s not been invited to his cousin Peter Phillips’ wedding suggest the royal rift is far from healed. What’s more, it’s claimed wife Meghan is increasingly keen to distance herself from the drama as she tries to build her lifestyle brand, with a royal source telling the Mirror she wants to steer clear of Harry’s “chaos”.
Peter will tie the knot with NHS nurse Harriet Sperling in the Cotswolds on 6 June, with senior royals including King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales attending. But Palace sources say the Duke of Sussex, 41, has been left out in the cold again, as his decision to step back from royal duties continues to have repercussions.
Royal author Duncan Larcombe says that even if Harry had received an invitation, he would most likely have declined due to his ongoing rift with his brother, Prince William, who is due to attend alongside Peter’s mother, Princess Anne, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
“The sticking point is William’s attendance,” says Duncan. “Harry’s not going to agree to go to an event where he’s going to be forced to come face to face with his brother, who is absolutely still livid with him.”
And while groom Peter may not have any “beef” with his cousin personally, Duncan believes that even if he had extended an invitation to Harry and Meghan, “it would have been in the full knowledge that he wouldn’t turn up”.
There’s also little doubt Harry’s presence at the wedding would draw attention away from the bride and groom. Last week, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond warned it would be “the biggest no-no” for Harry and Meghan, 44, to overshadow the event, adding, “That’s undoubtedly what would happen if Harry, with or without Meghan, went to the wedding.
“So it seems they have taken the most sensible course, which is to leave the Sussexes off the guest list, along with Peter’s uncle, Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.”
But while it’s understandable the happy couple, who first went public with their relationship in May 2024, might not want Harry to put a negative spin on their big day, it’s perhaps more surprising that Harry’s own wife is now reportedly tiring of the controversy surrounding her husband and his family.
Even more striking is Harry’s apparent embracing of a celebrity-style lifestyle, which Duncan says is wholly at odds with his previous claims about loathing life in the spotlight as a youngster. “Meghan’s keeping very busy building her brand, while Harry’s busy coping with his worst nightmare – living life as a pseudo-celebrity royal, which brings with it all the things he hated growing up,” says Duncan.
“He’s stuck in the world of red carpets and camera flashes, which as a child never sat easy with him. Whereas with Meghan, the red carpets and cameras are part of her brand building, so she needs to protect herself from Harry’s chaos in order to achieve what she wants. The fallout with Harry’s family has, without doubt, caused drama throughout their marriage.”
Earlier this year, the couple – who are parents to Archie, seven, and Lilibet, who turns five this week – were slammed for undertaking what was dubbed a quasi-royal tour of Australia, which saw the Duke and Duchess attend a series of high-profile events.
The pair made headlines around the world with emotional speeches, TV appearances – including Meghan’s guest spot on MasterChef Australia – and some potentially lucrative business engagements. During one emotive address in Melbourne, Harry risked ruffling feathers back at the Palace by talking of the need to “cleanse himself of the past” to become the best father possible to his children.
He also spoke of his earlier reluctance to accept his royal destiny, saying, “I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role. Wherever this is headed, I don’t like it.’ It killed my mum. I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years, fingers in the eyes.”
According to Duncan, his comments will have done little to help repair relations with his estranged family back home. “Whenever Harry does any speech at an event, like he did in Australia, it turns into a sort of soap opera, with everyone talking about his family feuds and his relationship with his father and brother,” explains Duncan. “But of course, he keeps bringing his family into virtually everything he does, because that’s literally the only thing about Harry that’s important.
“He’s only relevant because he’s a member of the royal family, but his relationships with them are so strained that any time he mentions them, it creates speculation and more talk of fallouts and feuds.”
With Meghan focused on establishing her lifestyle brand, As Ever, it’s believed the drama surrounding Harry and his family clashes with the feel-good, aspirational image she wants her products to project.
“Meghan is very determined, very ambitious, very focused and very driven in her pursuit of building her brand and businesses,” says Duncan. “So I’m not surprised that she is maybe trying to carve her own path.”
Sadly for Harry, escaping the royal drama may prove to be an uphill battle.
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