Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot on May 19 eight years ago. Less than two years later, the couple announced that they were stepping away from their royal duties. They moved to California later and have two kids. Their decisions have often drawn public criticism, and recently, a royal commentator has claimed the marriage is a “disaster” for Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle marriage ‘has been a disaster in terms of Prince Harry’s standing,’ per expert
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exchanged vows at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their public activities, such as the infamous Oprah interview, have since left many unimpressed. Royal commentator Rafe Heydel-Mankoo recently told The People’s Channel that the marriage is not equally successful for both of them (via GBN).
“One party of the marriage has got a lot more out of it than the other one has. The marriage has been a huge success for Megan in terms of her profile, in terms of her business career, in terms of her wealth and her status,” Heydel-Mankoo said. “But I think for Harry, one must objectively say the marriage has been a disaster in terms of his standing, his approval ratings, his connection to the monarchy, his connection to the British people.”
The commentator further said that the Prince’s decision to live in America has left him unable to “perform any meaningful role”. He continued, “As I’ve often said, he knows really how to be a prince or a polo player or a soldier – none of which are of much use in California. But of course, that doesn’t speak to the issue of whether he’s happy with his family life, and he does seem to be in a strong marriage.”
Heydel-Mankoo emphasised that the couple is “resilient.” He explained that the media scrutiny has “strengthened their bond” and they remain “personally united.” However, he reiterated that Prince Harry has paid a hefty price for the marriage, and Meghan Markle has gained more out of it.
Meghan Markle Left Prince Harry Before Geneva Event For a Reason — Source
Prince Harry was missing during Meghan Markle‘s Geneva speech. The Duchess of Sussex spoke about online safety at the event held at the Lost Screen Memorial in Switzerland. As per a source, Markle’s husband reportedly wasn’t around due to an important reason.
Meghan Markle didn’t want Price Harry at Geneva event, sources suggest
According to Rob Shuter, Meghan Markle purposely left out Prince Harry at the Geneva event. Insiders stated that she wanted all the focus to be on her. Many close to the Sussexes called it the most important speech of the Suits alum’s post-royal career. “This was Meghan’s moment,” one insider shared with Naughty But Nice. The individual added, “She knew the second Harry walked into the room, the conversation would shift away from her.”
Insiders noted that behind the scenes, Markle’s appearance was carefully planned, with attention to the smallest detail. “Meghan simply wanted this stage to herself. People can stop pretending this was about childcare,” a source said. They further explained, “They could easily have found help.” As per insiders, the 44-year-old viewed the Switzerland event as a rare opportunity to establish herself as an independent global figure.
Another source stated, “Whenever Harry appears beside her, everything becomes about royal drama, and family feuds.” They continued, “Meghan wanted the spotlight on her work, not the chaos surrounding the royal family.”
Sources also claimed that the businesswoman teamed up with speechwriters, advisors, and stylists before the event. On the other hand, insiders said that Prince Harry was supportive of his wife. “This was Meghan’s stage,” the source said. They added, “And she wanted to own it completely.
While Markle appeared to work hard for the event, she has allegedly been accused of using AI for the speech. A source told RadarOnline.com, “What many people find deeply ironic is that the entire appearance centered on warning about the dangers of rapidly evolving technology and artificial intelligence potentially harming society.” The source said that “critics are now accusing the speech itself of sounding algorithmically generated.”
Prince Harry: I will always be part of the Royal Family
Six years after he left the UK with Meghan, Prince Harry has said he will “always be part of the Royal Family”.
The Duke of Sussex has been speaking to ITV News at the end of a two-day visit to Ukraine, in which he appears to be more confident to speak out on issues about which he feels strongly.
“I am here working doing the things that I was born to do”, he said, “And I enjoy doing it.”
He had travelled an hour’s drive from the capital Kyiv on Friday to a town which is now synonymous with a war crime.
In Bucha, four years ago, Russian forces are accused of committing war crimes.
Five hundred people were murdered and executed in the town during a month-long Russian occupation, before Ukrainian forces retook the area.
As they did so, the troops made the grim discovery of what had happened to many civilians here.
And when issues are as big as this, Prince Harry appears to have decided he can be bolder when it comes to speaking about some world events.
When we asked if he feels like the shackles have been removed after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit as working royals in 2020, he said: “From my perspective, we need to feel empowered to speak truth to power. It’s really that simple.”
“What would worry me if we live in a world where anyone in my position or anybody, anywhere can’t speak about the very things and the realities that we are seeing”, he told us.
He didn’t want to feel “gagged”, he said, because everything is considered too political.
“I fundamentally disagree with that.”
He was talking to us from St Andrew’s Church in Bucha, the site of a mass grave in 2022, and where there is now a memorial for the 500 civilians killed here.
I followed his speech on Thursday at the Kyiv Security Forum, calling President Putin by name, urging him to stop the war.
And he spoke of the need for “American leadership” on Ukraine after the USA had previously pledged to protect the country when it gave up its nuclear weapons in the 1990s.
Harry didn’t mention Donald Trump by name, but he did provoke a reaction from the US President last night, who said the prince “does not speak for the UK”.
Given the risk that his words could make things more difficult for King Charles in the USA next week, we asked Harry if he thought his speech in Ukraine would have an impact on the State Visit.
“No, I don’t think so. Not at all”, he replied.
As just about the whole world knows, Harry and Meghan left the Royal Family in 2020, but the Duke of Sussex said today that he will always be part of it.
Harry said: “I will always be part of the Royal Family, and I am here working doing the things that I was born to do. And I enjoy doing it.”
He also spoke about his mother, Princess Diana, as he drove into a wood in the early morning to see the work of the de-mining charity, The Halo Trust.
The images of the late princess walking through a minefield in Angola in 1997 changed the way the world saw the issue of landmines – and the impact they have had for decades afterwards on civilians.
The Halo Trust means so much to Harry, because – as he told us today – it meant so much to his mother.
“It’s sad, it’s very, very sad because nearly 30 years ago, since my mother was in Angola, here we are again in a new conflict”, Harry said after seeing the work to remove Russian ammunition and other ordnance from a former battlefield near Bucha.
He added: “It’s sad, it’s depressing, but thank God for Halo Trust.”
Princess Diana visited Angola with the Halo Trust in 1997
What Harry says he wants to do more now is to use his platform to bring attention to issues, like those he has spoken about in Ukraine, that have fallen off the world’s news agenda.
The Iran war has taken a lot of the attention away from Ukraine in recent months.
So was this a Royal tour or not royal tour? With the Sussexes, everyone always has an opinion.
On certain issues, however, military ones in particular, Harry appears to be done with the tiptoeing around.
Prince Harry ‘looks very sad’ after leaving royal duty, expert draws striking parallel to abdicated king
Hugo Vickers, author of ‘Behind Closed Doors,’ examines the parallels between two royal husbands who walked away from duty
Meghan Markle is often likened to Wallis Simpson, but according to one author, it’s not the American divorcees who deserve scrutiny — it’s the husbands who married them.
Hugo Vickers has written a new book, “Behind Closed Doors,” which examines the shocking final years of the Duchess of Windsor, who died in 1986 at the age of 89.
The royal historian told Fox News Digital that while writing his book, he uncovered striking and troubling parallels between Prince Harry and Edward, Duke of Windsor — the late Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle — who abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attends The Invictus Games Foundation 10th Anniversary Service, his passion project, at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8, 2024, in London. The younger son of King Charles III stepped back as a senior royal in 2020. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“… The one thing in common is that the two husbands both look pretty miserable,” Vickers claimed. “If you look at photographs of the Duke of Windsor in old age … I’ve never seen such sad eyes on a man because of what happened. In both cases, they decided not to do the duty which they had been born to undertake.”
“When I give talks occasionally, usually at schools, I show a picture of the queen, our Queen Elizabeth II, with sparkling eyes at the age of 90, having done her duty and feeling the calm, level gaze, conscious of duty fulfilled, as somebody put it,” he said. “Whereas the Duke of Windsor looked pathetic, and he looked very sad. And Prince Harry also looks very, very sad most of the time and rather angry.”
Harry, 41, has been estranged from his family since he and his wife stepped back as senior royals in 2020. They cited unbearable intrusions by the British press and a lack of support from the palace for their decision to exit.
Since moving to California, the couple have aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2021 memoir “Spare,” which laid bare details about the House of Windsor, worsened tensions.
A person watches the Duke of Sussex being interviewed by ITV’s Tom Bradby during “Harry: The Interview” at home in Edinburgh on Jan. 8, 2023, two days before the release of his autobiography “Spare.” (Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)
Today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still working to define their post-royal identities. Vickers said Meghan, the former American actress, has had a far smoother ride than Harry.
“Meghan Markle is much more in control of her destiny than Wallis was,” said Vickers. “Wallis became a wife and, to be fair to her, she wrote a book of memoirs. She gave one or two interviews, but she was very discreet, to be quite honest. She was very much in the background.”
“Behind Closed Doors: The Tragic, Untold Story of the Duchess of Windsor” by Hugo Vickers is available. (Pegasus Books)
“… Meghan Markle is completely different,” he continued. “She is using her title and her name to market things. … She’s been selling products and the like. … I just personally don’t think Prince Harry looks happy. My theory is that he is terrified of losing her, which is a very understandable syndrome to get into.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard agreed.
The Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, holds his book titled “A King’s Story: The Memoirs of the Duke of Windsor,” circa 1951. (Erika Stone/Getty Images)
“It’s safe to say that both husbands wanted out of the institution,” she explained to Fox News Digital. “Edward VIII didn’t want to be king, and Prince Harry wanted freedom from the royal family. Their ‘get out of jail’ cards were their strong partners. How can we forget Harry and Meghan’s ‘freedom flight’ video shown in their Netflix documentary as they gleefully relinquished their royal duties?”
The 72-year-old former King Edward VIII and his Maryland-born wife, 70, are seen here ending their annual visit to America to attend a family ceremony in London at the invitation of the duke’s niece, Queen Elizabeth II. (Getty Images)
“The tides have possibly changed,” said Chard. “Harry and Meghan built their exit. However, it doesn’t guarantee safety or peace. Prince Harry continuously worries about Meghan, his family, their safety and media backlash. He seems to be reverting to what he knows and enjoys, his previous royal life.”
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, participates in the Scar Tree Walk with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, on April 16, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia, during their royal visit. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
During an unannounced visit to Ukraine on April 24, Harry was asked about being “not a working royal.” He replied, “I will always be part of the royal family. … I am here working, doing the things I was born to do.”
That same month, Harry and Meghan spent four days in Australia, where Harry’s father, King Charles, is the head of state.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose for selfies with members of the public beneath the steps of the Sydney Opera House in Australia on April 17, 2026. (Saeed Khan/AFP)
“Looking ahead, Meghan’s trajectory seems firmly anchored in monetizing her proximity to the monarchy,” Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s “Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered,” told Fox News Digital.
“I predict a long-term strategy focused on influence, media and commercial ventures, versus any form of royal reconciliation in traditional terms,” Schofield said. “For Harry, his long-term positioning still feels less defined. He has leaned heavily into advocacy and legacy projects, but there’s an ongoing tension between his royal identity and his post-royal reality. That ambiguity can be difficult to sustain over time.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, sits in the audience before a Q&A session during a visit to Movember at the Western Bulldogs headquarters at Mission Whitten Oval in Melbourne on April 15, 2026. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
Majesty magazine’s editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward previously claimed that Prince Philip, Harry’s grandfather, gave Meghan the nickname “DoW,” shorthand for Duchess of Windsor, The Telegraph reported. According to the outlet, the name came “from the moment he detected her apparent similarity to Wallis.”
Meghan Markle is seen here being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on March 8, 2021. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Meghan’s star power also may have worked against her inside the royal family.
“The most successful members of the royal family are those who support the monarch without competing with him or her,” Vickers said. “That’s what they do. People like Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. She is a classic example. Catherine, Princess of Wales, likewise, does not compete with her husband, does not compete with the queen, does not compete with the king. Camilla actually also does not compete with the king. She supports him.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are raising their two young children in California. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
Vickers noted that while Harry attempts to embrace a laid-back California life years later, Edward didn’t let go of the past. Wallis surrounded him with reminders of the crown he left behind.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor are pictured here in Ashdown Forest, Sussex, England, date unknown. (Getty Images)
“If Wallis made a mistake, it was to almost become the epitome of a royal duchess,” he said. “[Their] house in Paris, which I went to many times, was filled with evidence of royal life. There were lots of coronets all over the place. There were portraits of Queen Mary and lots of pictures of the duchess and footmen in livery and that sort of thing. It was like she created for him a miniature court in exile.”
While Harry may be privately looking back, Meghan, 44, is more focused on her future.
Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand As Ever officially launched on April 2, 2025. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
“Meghan didn’t fully grasp the institutional reality of marrying into the royal family,” said Schofield. “That’s not unusual. The monarchy isn’t just a family. It’s a centuries-old constitutional machine with high expectations, limited personal autonomy and a hierarchy that doesn’t bend easily to modern celebrity culture. Meghan approached it with a more Hollywood-adjacent framework, where personal brand, narrative control and visibility are assets. Inside the monarchy, those same instincts can be liabilities.”
“Both Meghan and Wallis entered the orbit of the monarchy as outsiders, Americans, divorced,” Schofield shared. “Both were perceived as disruptive. And in both cases, the relationship dynamic appears to have reinforced an ‘us versus them’ mentality with their partners.”
“But there are also key differences that shouldn’t be glossed over,” Schofield continued. “Wallis was dealing with a monarchy in a far more rigid, pre-war context, where divorce and public perception carry existential consequences for the crown. Meghan entered a modernized institution that had already weathered divorce, media scrutiny and evolving public expectations. While Wallis triggered a constitutional crisis, Meghan’s situation became more of a reputational and cultural crisis.”
American socialite Wallis Simpson posed for a portrait a week before King Edward VIII abdicated. She became Duchess of Windsor in June 1937 after marrying Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor. (Fayer/Getty Images)
A source recently told People magazine that the couple is “not reliant on Harry’s father or taxpayer-funded money.” Their goal is to remain independent.
“They pay their own bills and make their own money while continuing to support a lot of causes that might otherwise go unseen. It enables them to do what they love doing,” said the insider.
“They’re trying to live their life, raise their children [Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4], do meaningful work and earn a living.”
Prince Harry (left) and Prince William (right) attend the unveiling of a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace, London on July 1, 2021, which would have been her 60th birthday. Royal experts told Fox News Digital the last time the brothers spoke was in 2022 during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. (Dominic Lipinski/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chard suggested that, much like his ancestor, Harry is deeply devoted to Meghan and their family. However, it will come as no surprise if he still quietly grieves the life he walked away from.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, delivers a speech during the Kyiv Security Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 23, 2026. He also participates in a panel discussion featuring Ukrainian veterans at the 18th Kyiv Security Forum. (Andrii Khodkov/Apostrophe/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images)
“[Wallis and Meghan] both earned independently before marrying into the family, and both landed husbands who completely doted on them,” said Chard. “I’d go as far as saying both husbands feared losing their wives and would do absolutely anything not to lose them.”
Why Prince Harry’s relationship with William was ‘doomed’ years before Meghan Markle
Prince William and Prince Harry’s relationship was damaged years before Meghan Markle entered the picture, a royal author says.
“People didn’t really acknowledge the fact that there was all this tension between Harry and William ever since they were small children, wrestling in the back of the car,” Christopher Andersen, author of “KATE! The Courage, Grace, and Power of the Woman Who Will Be Queen,” told Page Six in a recent exclusive interview.
Andersen added that it was “made very clear” to Harry that “he was lesser than,” and that “left a real mark on them and really kind of doomed their relationship, ultimately.”
Prince William and Prince Harry’s relationship was bound to be testy, says a royal author.
Royal author Christopher Andersen says there were issues long before Prince Harry met Meghan Markle. The California-based couple is seen here at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
Harry, 41, detailed the different ways the siblings were treated in his explosive memoir, “Spare,” claiming that William, 43, was given a much nicer bedroom in Kensington Palace.
“My half of the room was far smaller, less luxurious,” Harry wrote in the book. “I never asked why. I didn’t care. But I also didn’t need to ask.”
Harry also claims his brother “appeared supremely irritated” when he first heard of the idea for the Invictus Games, which Harry created. He blamed William’s less-than-excited response on their “rivalry.”
Andersen says there has been “tension” between the brothers since “they were small children.” Here they are with their parents in 1986.
Their relationship deteriorated once Harry began dating Meghan Markle.
Harry writes that the two of them had an argument over unflattering press reports about Markle’s behavior, which quickly turned physical, with William pushing Harry to the ground.
The brothers have reportedly not spoken to each other in several years.
Andersen says that the Princess of Wales, photographed in 2026, tried to act as a peacemaker.
Middleton moved away so William and Harry could talk privately after Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021.
One example of her peacemaker inclinations was after Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021, when she was walking with William and diplomatically broke away when Harry joined them, allowing the siblings to chat privately.
“She wanted them to make amends,” Andersen says.
Spokespeople for both princes did not return Page Six’s emails for comment.
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