Aroyal biographerhas claimed thatPrince Philiponce issued astark warningtoPrince Harryahead of his marriage toMeghan Markle, a moment now resurfacing amid speculations about the couple's relationship.
The claim emerged alongside new reports describing Meghan appearing visibly distressed during a recent outing in California, fueling fresh concerns about marital tensions. Insiders have claimed that the couple had been struggling privately over boundaries surrounding their children and their public presence.
Prince Philip reportedly warned Harry that marrying Meghan may bring complications
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According to royal biographer Andrew Lownie in his bookEntitled, Prince Philip allegedly cautioned Harry that his marriage to Meghan would come with challenges the young royal might underestimate.
"One steps out with actresses, one doesn't marry them," the Duke of Edinburgh allegedly told the Duke of Sussex when he and theSuitsstar got engaged in 2017.
Interestingly enough, Lownie's claims in his book are pretty similar to those of royal author Ingrid Seward in her 2024 book,My Mother and I, Philip.
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According to Seward, Philip was "one of the very few wary" of the actress when Harry and Markle started dating in 2016, according toPage Six.
The Duke of Edinburgh's reservations about Markle reportedly continued, even when the pair were married at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
Grant Harrold, a former royal butler, claimed that Prince Philip told Queen Elizabeth II "Thank f**k that's over" after they left the chapel.
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While Harry and Meghan Markle initially served as senior members of the British Royal Family, the couple announced in January 2020 that they were stepping back from their royal duties. They also moved to North America.
Since then, Harry and Meghan have welcomed two children: Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
Philip reportedly refused to have a say in Harry and Meghan's move to North America, at one point even telling Elizabeth that he would "be soon out of it."
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Royal biographer Gyles Brandreth, however, claimed that the Duke of Edinburgh still believed that "people have to lead their lives as they think best," even if he personally did not agree with Harry and Meghan's decisions.
Despite stepping away from his family, Prince Harry has attended several key royal events without Meghan
Prince Harry gave up some of his titles when he andMeghandecided to move away from the Royal Family.
While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle still kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, they are no longer addressed as His or Her Royal Highness (HRH). Harry also had to give up his military titles, according to theBBC.
With the coronation of King Charles, Harry and Meghan's children officially became Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Harry is still fifth in line to the British throne.
Harry has sincesoftenedhis comments about his family, even telling the media that he "would love a reconciliation" with his father and the rest of the Royal Family.
He has come back to the UK for a number of important events. He attended King Charles' coronation in May 2023, though Meghan was not with him at the time.
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In February 2024, he also flew to the UK to meet with his dad. This was around the time when Buckingham Palace announced that the King had cancer.
Harry also flew back home to take part in a service for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in May 2024.
The games, a sporting competition for injured servicemen, are an important project for the Duke of Sussex, having served as one of its key patrons.
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In August 2024, Harry also attended a memorial service for his uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes.
Meghan Markle returned to the UK with Prince Harry in June and September 2022, for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee and funeral.
Recent reports have suggested that Meghan Markle might be feeling the strains of her marriage, and she may be pondering an exit strategy
Prince Philip's resurfaced warning has taken on renewed meaning as a recent report fromRadarOnline, citing an eyewitness account, alleged that Meghan was "fighting back tears" and looked "overwhelmed" while visiting a bookstore near Montecito.
"She's an actress and can put on a brave face, but the mask was slipping," the publication's source claimed.
One of the biggest points ofstrainappeared to revolve around disagreements about their children's privacy.
Insiders claimed that Meghan and Harry had been "butting heads" over how much of Archie and Lilibet should appear on social media.
The issue reportedly escalated after Meghan shared a Halloween-themed Instagrampostthat briefly included partial images of the children.
Even though their faces were obscured, the photos reportedly displeased Harry.
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"Harry is upset about it because, obviously, he grew up in the spotlight. He knows what it's like," the publication's source claimed.
Amid reports of potential marital issues, Meghan has reportedly returned to acting, most recently filming a cameo in the comedyClose Personal Friends.
Sources said the new project might be more than a creativeopportunityfor the actress. "Acting could be her attempt to gain independence in case they pull the trigger on their marriage," one insider claimed.
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"It could be her saying, 'I need to go back to my roots. I need to go back to my own kind of thing.' It's her backup plan in case she exits."
Experts have estimated that a divorce could leave Harry down roughly $60 million unless the pair had a prenup that "no one knows about," according to famed L.A. attorney Louis J. Shapiro.
Netizens shared their thoughts on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on social media
