Prince Harry’s trip to the UK didn’t go as Meghan Markle had hoped.
Royal author Russell Myers admitted to People magazine that the trip “became a nightmare” after security concerns meant Markle, 44, and her children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, spent less time with Prince Harry overseas than they had planned.
A source familiar with the Sussexes told the outlet that Markle would have felt “humiliated” to see the dispute unfold in public between Prince Harry, 41, and the royal institutions.
Another source said the Suits alum called Prince Harry “very supportive” but was “very sad” about the outcome of the trip.
Meanwhile, another source claimed that Markle “always takes the lead from[Prince Harry]” when it comes to her relationships with her family.
Prince Harry just spent a week in his home country celebrating the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, England.
As Page Six exclusively reported, Prince Harry spent most of the trip alone as the Sussexes were denied taxpayer-funded security and Buckingham Palace withdrew its offer to allow the couple to stay in the royal residence.
They also confirmed that Markle will not be attending the Invictus Games event with Harry.
However, Markle and her children joined Prince Harry at the reunion with King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House last Friday.
Prince Charles, 77, has not seen his grandchildren, who live in California with Prince Harry and Markle, since attending Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
“It’s better for people not to know anything about these meetings,” a source told People magazine. “They should be allowed to rekindle family ties.”
Overall, Mr Myers told the media that the outcome of the trip was “further evidence of the fractious relationship between Mr Harry and the institution”.
Meanwhile, one source claimed that if the security situation had been resolved, there would have been “much more certainty” each time Prince Harry traveled to the UK.
In addition to safety and accommodation issues, Prince Harry learned during his trip across the pond that he had lost $67 million in a legal battle with a British tabloid.
“This trial was a huge loss for Prince Harry,” royal author Simon Biggar told People magazine.
Harry, who was suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, for privacy violations, called the legal decision “a complete and glaring sham” in a statement to Page Six.
Sources say Harry “doesn’t have the money” to pay legal costs of up to $15 million and may need to ask his friend Elton John to cover the costs.
Despite meeting Charles, Prince Harry did not meet his estranged brother Prince William in the UK.
One source said the relationship between the brothers was “very broken”, while another added: “There hasn’t been any movement on William’s part.”
However, royal expert Kinsey Schofield exclusively told Page Six that Prince William understands Charles’ decision to meet with Prince Harry “even if he doesn’t do it himself.”
“While I believe Prince Harry has not regained the trust of his family, I understand that a father living with cancer would want to see his son and grandson,” Schofield added.
Prince Harry and Ms. Markle stepped down from royal duties in 2020, and have since criticized the family in a 2021 sit-down interview with Oprah and in the 2022 Netflix series “Harry & Meghan.”
The couple have no plans to return to the royal family.
