Meghan and Harry latest news – Thomas Markle to EXPOSE private details & photos from Duchess' life in new documentary

Fashion

WHEN Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior working royals in January 2020, the couple said they wanted to become "financially independent" from the monarchy so they could lead a more private life.

Appearing on True Royalty’s The Royal Beat, The Sun's former royal correspondent Duncan Larcombe claimed the couple's actions have been "catastrophic" for the Royal Family.

He said: "A year ago Harry and Meghan were saying they want privacy and to bring their child up in peace – codswallop!

"We now know what it is. The evidence is there. It was the biggest royal sellout in the history of the family.

"What Harry and Meghan have done over the past 12 months is sow seeds which will spell potential catastrophe to the Royal Family."

Last summer, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to their £14m "forever" mansion in Montecito, California, and signed deals with Spotify and Netflix rumoured to be worth over £142m. 

Follow our Meghan and Harry live blog below for the very latest news on the couple and the Royal Family

  • Olivia Burke

    MEG AND HARRY'S BILLION DOLLAR BRAND SPELLS TROUBLE FOR THE REST OF THE ROYALS

    PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have made an impressive start to their non-royal careers and are on track to create a "billion dollar brand"- which could "spell catastrophe" for the Royal Family.

    The couple have secured multi-million dollar deals with huge companies such as Netflix and Spotify, and produced a VIP line up for guests on their first podcast – all the while being championed by celebs such as Oprah Winfrey.

    But royal experts are concerned the modernity of Meghan and Harry's new lives could be bad news for the rest of the royal family, as people may become less interested in traditional royal work.

    Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe shared his concerns on 'The Royal Beat', saying: "When 50 million people are watching Harry’s chat about organic yoghurt or whatever it is that he wants to promote, and 5,000 people are watching his brother – Prince William, the future King – do a royal engagement, opening a supermarket in Hemel Hempstead or whatever – that is when it becomes a problem."

  • Lydia Hawken

    MEGHAN'S EX-IN LAWS 'EMBRACED HER LIKE A DAUGHTER' AND WERE 'SHOCKED BY BREAK-UP'

    Long before she met Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was married to television producer Trevor Engelson – who she was in a relationship with for nine years before their split in 2013.

    In his biography Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, royal author Andrew Morton wrote: "The sad news [of their divorce] in the summer of 2013 came as a bolt from the blue.

    “Everyone in their circle was genuinely shocked, none more so than Trevor’s parents David and Leslie who, according to a member of the Markle clan, had embraced her like a daughter."

    What's more, the author claimed the divorce came as a complete surprise to Trevor too.

    He continued: "It was such a surprise for Trevor that even at a distance of five years, he can barely contain his anger ‒ the normally laid back New Yorker switching gear from his usual ‘hi bro, how’s it going’ to a cold fury when her name comes into the conversation."

  • Lydia Hawken

    MEG AND HARRY FIRST CONSIDERED 'BREAKING AWAY' AFTER BUCKINGHAM PALACE REFUSED TO 'RESTRUCTURE PRESS SYSTEM'

    Meghan Markle and Prince Harry first began considering "breaking away" from the Royal Family after Buckingham  Palace refused to "restructure the press system", a royal author has claimed.

    Omid Scobie – who co-authored the bombshell biography Finding Freedom – claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex expressed interest in moving away from the "royal rota" system last year.

    He told The Cut: "In the summer of 2019, Harry actually had a conversation amongst his team and his senior aides within Buckingham Palace about restructuring that press system and making him and Meghan more accessible to a wider, more diverse media landscape.

    "And the answer was well, "If you want to do that, you can pay for your own engagements". 

    'And so that was the first seed of, "Well, maybe we will break away, maybe we will do our own thing."

    As it is not always possible for all media organisations to go to every royal engagement, the current "royal rota" system allows representatives from each sector to cover it events as long as they share the material with other members of the sector.

  • Lydia Hawken

    KATE AND WILLIAM ARE 'MORE RELAXED' SINCE MEGXIT, EXEPRT CLAIMS

    Kate Middleton and Prince William "have changed" since Megxit and look "more relaxed", an expert has claimed.

    Appearing on TalkRadio, biographer Angela Levin commented on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's whistle-stop tour of the UK this week.

    Referring to their Cardiff Castle visit, the author said: "When you see that with Kate and William…when we saw them this morning, they were laughing.

    "Kate was moving to the music and they're very, very easy with each other. I think there's been a big change since Harry and Meghan have gone that they feel more relaxed.

    "They feel very much like a team, you can feel that."

  • Lydia Hawken

    THE QUEEN WAS TORN BETWEEN 'LOVE AND DUTY' OVER MEGXIT

    There's no denying that Megxit put The Queen in a very difficult position – as she tried to navigate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wants for an independent life alongside what was best for the monarchy.

    Speaking to Sky News, royal author Robert Lacey admitted that Her Majesty was torn between her love for her grandson and her duty as the monarch – but ultimately valued Prince Harry's happiness.

    He said: "We know that she loves Prince Harry as a grandmother.

    "We know that early March this year she deliberately invited Harry for a private lunch right in the middle of all the trouble.

    "She did this to talk to him and tell him anytime he wanted to come back he would be very welcome."

    However, The Queen did make clear that the couple COULDN'T use their Sussex Royal branding to make money in the future.

    Robert added: "She has a job to do, she has a Royal Family with standards to uphold.

    "At that stage, she did not feel the commercial plans that the Sussexes were putting forward were dignified or royal."

  • Lydia Hawken

    THROWBACK PHOTO OF MEGHAN FROM UNIVERSITY DAYS

    An old university photo of Meghan Markle has resurfaced online – showing the Duchess of Sussex taking part in a dance marathon for charity.

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Meghan (fan page) (@_duchess_of_sussex)

    In 2000, Meghan was a 19-year-old student at North Western University – where she got a double major in theatre and international studies.

    For the Royal Wedding in 2018, her former dance group Gilda's Club Chicago shared a throwback photo of the Duchess at a charity dance marathon from 20 years ago.

    The cancer support group captioned the picture: "In honour of the Royal Wedding, we'd like to share this photo from the 2000 North Western Dance Marathon supporting Gilda's Club Chicago, featuring her Royal Highness."

  • Lydia Hawken

    NOD TO MEGHAN'S DIVORCE ON ROYAL WEDDING INVITES

    Cast your mind back to 2018 and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had just announced their engagement.

    And when it came to sending out their invites, there was a subtle acknowledgment that this was Meghan's time down the aisle.

    The former American actress was called “Ms” Markle on the coveted invites, which contrasts to Kate Middleton having “Miss” on her 2011 invites.

    The reason for this is that etiquette rules state the correct way to refer to someone who is divorced is “Ms”.

    Etiquette expert William Hanson told the Sun Online: "The Royal Household, in particular The Queen, has never before acknowledged the honourific Ms, regardless of whether it was being used to signify a divorced woman or one who did not feel her marital status was of importance.

    "It was first used in connection to Meghan in the November engagement announcement and since then has been used throughout the royal household’s communications, on press releases, invitations and social media.

    "I would imagine Meghan herself has asked to be styled accordingly and that there is no slight intended on Prince Harry’s finance.  It is another subtle sign that the royal household is moving with the times."

  • Lydia Hawken

    MONTHS AFTER MEGXIT WERE ‘DISMAL’ FOR MEGHAN AND HARRY

    Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sent shockwaves through the Royal Family when they stepped down as senior royals in January.

    And according to royal expert Andrew Morton, the months that followed the announcement were very difficult for the couple.

    Describing it as a “pretty dismal” time, he said: “You could see the trauma etched on their faces. They were barely on speaking terms with William and Charles.

    “If Harry had a real regret, it was how he handled the announcement of stepping back. He pushed the Queen and his father into a corner and it made the whole thing far more dramatic.”

  • Lydia Hawken

    MEGHAN AND HARRY 'OPTIMISTIC ABOUT 2021'

    There's no denying that 2020 was a game-changing year for Meghan and Harry – and an expert has claimed the royal couple are "optimistic" about what 2021 has in store.

    Speaking to Vanity Fair, Omid Scobie said: "I think they’re excited and optimistic about 2021 when everything will come to realization.

    “We’ll see the fruits of their labour— Archewell, Netflix. I think it’s the year we will get to see what their legacy will be."

    The co-author of Finding Freedom also claimed that 2020 had been a "rollercoaster" for Meghan and Harry after they quit the Royal Family in January.

  • Lydia Hawken

    MEGHAN PLEDGED TO 'SET STANDARDS HIGH' WITH NEW YEAR RESOLUTION SHE MADE MONTHS BEFORE MEETING HARRY

    Five years ago, the Duchess of Sussex – who was best known for her role as Rachel Zane in Suits – vowed to set her "standards high" for the New Year on her lifestyle blog The Tig.

    Meghan wrote: "For this new year, the only thing I aim to do is to approach life playfully.

    "To laugh and enjoy, to keep my standards high but my level of self-acceptance higher."

    In July that year, Meghan was set up with Prince Harry by a mutual friend.

    The biography Finding Freedom claims the couple enjoyed their first date at Soho House's Dean Street Townhouse – where they reportedly spoke about making “change for good” while sitting on plush “velvet chairs”.

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE HARRY 'CONCENTRATED ON DIANA' IN ARCHEWELL LETTER FOR MEGHAN'S SAKE

    Earlier this week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled the website for their non-profit foundation Archewell as they called for "compassion".

    Introducing their website, the couple shared childhood pictures of themselves with their mothers – alongside a short letter to 2021 in which the Duke described himself as "my mother's son".

    However, royal expert Phil Dampier claims that Prince Harry may have purposefully not mentioned Prince Charles as Meghan is estranged from her father Thomas Markle.

    He told the Mail: "I suspect that part of the reason for the emphasis on mothers is that Meghan is so close to her mother and of course is estranged from her father, so perhaps Harry is thinking of her when he concentrates only on Diana."

  • Lydia Hawken

    THE QUEEN 'WANTED TO LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN' TO HARRY AND MEGHAN WITH MEGXIT REVIEW

    When Meghan and Harry quit the Royal Family in January 2020, the Queen planned for a one-year Megxit review which would give them a chance to return.

    Appearing on HuffPost's Heirpod podcast, royal author Omid Scobie said: "I think as we have seen anything is possible in this situation.

    "But this really was the Queen wanting to leave the door open to the couple so that they can find their feet and come back 12 months later.

    "If things need to change or anything needs to be discussed, it can be."

    As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the couple have not travelled back to the UK as planned for their meeting with the Royals.

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE HARRY 'ACCEPTS BEING SECOND TO MEGHAN'

    Writing for The Telegraph, royal author Angela Levin sensationally claimed that Prince Harry is content being "second" to his wife Meghan Markle.

    Questioning whether the Duke and Duchess are an "equal" partnership, she wrote: "He would not be the first man to be besotted with a beautiful woman with a different agenda that he then meekly adopts as his own. 

    "While he balked at being 'the spare' to Prince William, he seems to accept being second to Meghan."

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE WILLIAM'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HARRY 'WILL BE BETTER WHEN HE'S KING', EXPERT CLAIMS

    Rumours of a rift between Prince William and Prince Harry were rife in the months leading up to Megxit.

    According to royal expert Carole Malone, the brother's relationship is likely to improve when William becomes King one day.

    Appearing on Channel 5's William and Harry: Prince's at War, she said: "It will be interesting to see what happens when Prince William becomes King. What will their relationship be like?

    "I think it may be better because William is always going to be King, nothing is going to change that and Harry will have accepted that a very long time ago.

    "Also, William at that point will be top dog, what he says goes. Whatever Prince Harry does or says, William will be in charge, end of story."

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE HARRY NAMED 'WORLD'S MOST KISSABLE GINGER'

    To mark International Kiss A Ginger Day this month, OnBuy asked 5,000 members of the public to vote for the red-headed celebrity they found most attractive.

    Prince Harry topped the poll – followed by A-List actresses Isla Fisher, Jessica Chastain and Karen Gillan.

    But the Duke of Sussex wasn't the only male included in the top 10 – with Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Eddie Redmayne coming in fifth, sixth and seventh place.

    What's more, the Prince's pal Ed Sheeran also came in at number 15 – having received 53 per cent of votes.

  • Lydia Hawken

    INSIDE ARCHIE'S NURSERY IN CALIFORNIA

    Speaking to Closer magazine, an insider claimed Archie's nursery in Harry and Meghan's £14m Montecito mansion has "big windows" and a reading corner.

    The source said: "There’s a pile of story and soft activity books, and a storage area for all of Archie’s toys and puzzles.

    "Harry and Meghan spend hours reading to him, especially before going to bed.

    “He’s an incredibly engaged child and eager to learn."

  • Lydia Hawken

    MEGIXT REVIEW SCRAPPED AS QUEEN BELIEVES ARRANGEMENT IS 'WORKING'

    Speaking to the Express, royal expert Katie Nicholl claimed: "My understanding from the Sussex camp is that there has been communication with the Queen, Charles and with William as well. The general feeling is that this is working.

    “This isn’t to say that people are not watching closely what these deals are, what the couple are doing and what these projects are going to be. 

    “But there is not this need to have this review one year on."

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE HARRY IS A 'RECLUSE' IN LA, NEIGHBOUR ROB LOWE CLAIMS

    He may be living in an A-List neighbourhood in California – but according to his neighbour Rob Lowe, Prince Harry has become a bit of a "recluse".

    Appearing on The Late Late Late Show with James Corden, The West Wing actor, 56, claimed he'd just seen the Prince driving through their neighbourhood Montecito.

    Rob claimed: "He lives about a mile from me. He's been very reclusive. Seeing him in the neighbourhood is like seeing the Loch Ness Monster, and I finally saw him. I finally saw him driving his car."

    What's more, the star claimed Prince Harry has grown a ponytail in lockdown.

  • Lydia Hawken

    MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY ARE 'BIGGEST SELL-OUTS IN ROYAL HISTORY', EXPERT SENSATIONALLY CLAIMS

    Appearing on True Royalty’s The Royal Beat, author Duncan Larcombe said: "A year ago Harry and Meghan were saying they want privacy and to bring their child up in peace – codswallop!

    "We now know what it is. The evidence is there. 

    "It was the biggest royal sellout in the history of the family."

    After stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family in January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to their £14m "forever" mansion in Montecito, California and signed deals with Spotify and Netflix rumoured to be worth over £142m. 

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE HARRY 'DOESN'T BELIEVE A WORD THAT COMES OUT OF SAMANTHA MARKLE'S MOUTH'

    Meghan Markle is allegedly feeling "sick to her stomach" over her sister Samantha's new tell-all book about their family which has gone on sale in the US today.

    A source told In Touch Weekly that the Duchess is distraught over the book's release – but "won't act bothered or upset about it in public".

    They added: "Harry is totally supporting Meghan and doesn't believe a word that comes out of Samantha's mouth."

  • Lydia Hawken

    PRINCE WILLIAM 'CONCERNED' HARRY IS 'TAKING OWNERSHIP' OF DIANA'S LEGACY, EXPERT CLAIMS

    On New Years Eve, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled the new website for their non-profit foundation Archewell.

    Introducing their website, the couple shared childhood pictures of themselves with their mothers – alongside a short letter to 2021 in which the Duke described himself as "my mother's son".

    Appearing on True Royalty TV's Royal Beat, royal expert Katie Nicholl said: "I think William will be concerned with that, Harry trying to take ownership of the Diana Legacy will be a problem.

    "But also Harry doing mental health, Harry doing conservation, these are the issues that William and Kate want to do – that’s where I predict tensions. Heads Together was also Kate’s Idea."

  • Lydia Hawken

    HARRY AND MEGHAN'S BRAND 'FACING FAILURE', DIANA'S EX-CHIEF OF STAFF CLAIMS

    Princess Diana's former Chief of Staff Patrick Jephson has claimed Harry and Meghan's non-profit organisation Archewell has "an evolving brand issue".

    He told the Express: "One could argue that, at its best, membership of the Royal Family gives you access to the most extraordinary and powerful brand in the world.

    "To voluntarily divest yourselves of all those advantages in pursuit of something else is very daring – and we don’t even know what that something else is.

    "But if it departs very much from that great tradition of personal sacrifice and public service that defines the monarchy brand then I don’t believe it will succeed." 

  • Josie Griffiths

    ROYAL EXPERT ASKS 'WHY DID HE DO IT THEN?' OVER HARRY HEARTBROKEN CLAIMS

    Former Sun royal correspondent has questioned why Harry went for Megxit, over claims he is "heartbroken" about how things played out.

    ITN's Tom Bradby, a close friend of Harry's, said the Duke of Sussex has been left "heartbroken by the situation with his family" in an interview which aired this week.

    Posting on Twitter about the interview, Phil asked: "Why did he do it then?"

    Many of his followers agreed, replying: "Quite Phil. Nobody bludgeoned him into his own actions" and "No one to blame but himself!!"

  • Josie Griffiths

    MEGHAN'S SISTER HITS BACK AT 'NASTY TROLLS' GIVING BOOK ONE-STAR REVIEWS BEFORE RELEASE

    Meghan's half-sister Samantha has hit back at "nasty trolls" who are giving her bombshell memoir one-star reviews, before it's even released.

    Samantha’s tell-all book, The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister Part 1, is being released on February 1.

    Despite not being available to the public yet, the book has been targeted with scathing reviews from people who "regret purchasing".

    Defending Meghan, one reviewer wrote: "It's laughable how such an innocent, amazing, wonderful humanitarian has gotten under your lizard skins."

    Samantha Markle told Newsweek: "Barnes & Noble will be scrubbing nasty troll remarks a couple of times a day because they know that they are not credible and the book is not out yet.

    "The book is insightful and relatable and with so much going on in the world today I think there is something in the book for everyone who seeks truth and a sense of humanity."

  • Josie Griffiths

    'MEGHAN LOOKALIKE' BAFFLES THE CABIN VIEWERS

    A 'Meghan lookalike' on a new reality show has left viewers scratching their heads.

    The Cabins newbie Ashleigh, 23, who joined the show on Friday night, confused viewers when she told roomie Stuart what she does for a living.

    Ashleigh told him: "I've got something to tell you. So I'm actually a professional Meghan Markle lookalike."

    On hearing this, Stuart broke into fits of laughter, exclaiming: "What? That is ridiculous!"

    Fans of the ITV2 reality series were equally as baffled by hairdresser Ashleigh's claims, tweeting: "Sorry I dont see it" and "Really?!"

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