It’s no secret that there’s tension between the royal family and Meghan Markle. Prince Harry first raised eyebrows when he chose to marry an American actress — and now that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have abandoned their royal duties and will instead focus their efforts on Netflix stardom, the royal family seems to have little praise for the former Suits star.
After tying the knot at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018, the happy coupled welcomed their baby boy, Archie, the following year. Soon after his birth, Harry announced the duo would step back as “senior members” of the British royal family on January 8.
Their departure — referred to as “Megxit” — was due to the couple’s desire to be financially independent and live a more “peaceful” lifestyle. The couple initially moved to Los Angeles, California, to live a more “normal” life but the red-headed prince hated the “lack of privacy.” The couple eventually settled in a $14.65 million home in Santa Barbara, California. The power couple most recently signed a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix to create their own production company and new identities, leaving fans, insiders and royal experts with a lot to say.
Scroll through 11 times when the 41-year-old was snubbed by the royal family!
Overshadowed By Prince William & Kate Middleton’s Relationship
The Finding Freedom biography digs deeper into Harry and Meghan’s decision to quit the royal family and unearthed some shocking family drama. The book noted that part of the couple’s decision had to do with how they felt overshadowed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
While Markle and Harry tried to get involved with projects they deemed important and noteworthy, they were discouraged by staffers who prioritized more senior members, like Prince William and Kate Middleton. Additionally, when the couple tried sharing their concerns, their conversations were leaked to the press, leaving them with few people to trust.
“Harry felt at once used for their popularity, hounded by the press because of the public’s fascination with this new breed of royal couple, and disparaged back within the institution’s walls for being too sensitive and outspoken,” the writers, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, explained.
Accused Of Wanting A Hollywood Life All Along
After announcing their decision to abandon royal duties for a more peaceful and low-key lifestyle, a source revealed that the duo hopes to rebrand themselves and become Hollywood stars.
In the $150 million new deal with Netflix, Meghan and Harry plan to open up their own production studio to produce “hopeful” content for younger generations. While the pair remains optimistic about their new endeavor, royal expert Duncan Larcombe has some *less than optimistic* words to say about the Hollywood wannabees.
“This could be, by far, the biggest royal sellout in history,” he said. “The couple have gone from being full-time working royals to producers in Hollywood. This is the strongest indication that they have zero intention to return to the royal fold.” Larcombe explained, “He is a fish out of water in the TV world — this is Meghan’s territory, and some could argue this is what she wanted all along.”
Received The Cold Shoulder From Kate Middleton
Omid Scobie, Harper’s Bazaar‘s royal editor at large, dished that Kate was one of the many reasons the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted to leave the royal family.
“Meghan felt there wasn’t much effort made on Kate’s side to look after her during some of the darker moments, particularly during her pregnancy,” he shared. The controversial “Megxit” had the mother of three offering zero kindness to the new mama when Markle tried striking up a conversation with Middleton on March 9 during the Commonwealth Day celebration in Westminster Abbey.
“It was a real slap in the face, especially the way Kate gave Meghan the cold shoulder. Meghan tried to take the high road and strike up a conversation, but Kate basically blanked her, a source told Star. “William and Kate totally scorned Harry and Meghan. It’s got to be the nail in the coffin for that relationship,” another source claimed.
Disrespected By Royal Aide
In May 2018, while the couple was preparing to tie the knot, Queen Elizabeth II’s dresser, Angela Kelly, refused to travel to Buckingham Palace to let the actress try on the tiara she wanted to wear for her wedding day.
Scobie, the author of Finding Freedom, explained that Harry intervened and furiously called his grandmother, explaining: “This woman needs to make this work for my future wife.” The royal expert continued, “Harry felt that there were those within the institution that would stop at nothing at the very least to make Meghan’s life difficult.”
Left Out Of Prince Harry’s Birthday Tributes
To celebrate Prince Harry, the royal family took to social media to pay tribute for his birthday. While the posts were heartwarming, they all had one thing in common: no mention or photo of Markle. “Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince Harry today!” The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge captioned the throwback photo of the trio running together in 2017.
Harry’s father and The Duchess of Cornwall wished him a happy birthday, using his official title, with a solo shot of the red-headed royal, captioning it: “Wishing a very happy birthday to The Duke of Sussex today!” Her Majesty echoed the same message, posting a photo of Harry at the Queen’s Young Leaders reception at Buckingham Palace in 2017.