They make such a cute couple, don’t they? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Harry Windsor and Meghan Markle) have all the hallmarks of a fairy tale come true. From their whirlwind romance to their televised nuptials to the birth of their son Archie in May 2019, everything seems to be following the “happily ever after” script…
Or is it? While Harry and Meghan seem to be as much in love as ever, there are problems on the horizon that threaten to rock their relationship. Here are the biggest reasons to worry about Harry and Meghan’s marriage.
Prince Philip warned Harry against the marriage
As an American and an actress marrying into British royalty, Meghan Markle has faced criticism from members of the royal family. According to a June 2019 article in The Times, Harry’s grandfather Prince Philip allegedly told him, “One steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them.” It wasn’t so long ago that nobility marrying commoners was looked down upon as quite shocking, and it seems Prince Philip has held on to this outdated notion.
Harry and William have been feuding due to Meghan
The biggest royal rift may be between Harry and his brother William, who is the heir presumptive after their father Prince Charles. The feud allegedly started when Harry became engaged to Meghan in 2017 and felt William wasn’t doing enough to welcome her into the family.
While William had known Kate Middleton for 10 years before they got married, Harry had only known Meghan for 16 months before their engagement. Meghan must have had a real hold on Harry, because he had dated other women in the past for longer without proposing.
Allegedly, William expressed concern to Harry about the whirlwind romance. “William told his brother they knew nothing about her background, her intentions, what she was really like,” a source told The Sun. “Harry went mental. He accused his brother of trying to finish the romance before it had begun.”
Harry confirmed the rumors were true
Harry confirmed that rumors of a feud with his brother were true in the ITV documentary Harry And Meghan: An African Journey, which aired in October 2019.
“Inevitably stuff happens. But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. We’re certainly on different paths at the moment. I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me. We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy but I love him dearly,” Harry said. “The majority of stuff is created out of nothing. As brothers, we have good days and we have bad days.”
Harry and Meghan are skipping the royal family Christmas
Perhaps a sign that the brothers are in a sore spot right now, Harry and Meghan are skipping Christmas with the royal family in Sandringham this year. Instead, they will spend the holiday with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland.
Buckingham Palace released a statement saying, “This decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family, and has the support of Her Majesty The Queen.” But to put into perspective how big a deal it is that Harry and Meghan are skipping Sandringham: Harry has only ever missed one Christmas at Sandringham, when he was stationed in Afghanistan in 2012.
Meghan’s family is problematic
Where to start with this? Meghan’s father Thomas Markle made a spectacle of himself before the wedding, leaking stories to the press and trashing the royal family. He threatened to boycott the wedding, and then cited medical reasons for not attending anyway.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s half-siblings bring their own issues to the mix. Her half-sister Samantha Grant is writing a tell-all book and her half-brother Thomas Markle Jr. sports a criminal record. While it’s true you can’t choose your family, Meghan has chosen to estrange herself from her relatives due to their shenanigans, and it’s probably all for the best.
Harry and Meghan are suing the media
Thanks to Meghan’s problematic father, the couple is under additional stress from the media shenanigans he brings.
On October 1, 2019 they brought a lawsuit against tabloid newspaper The Mail On Sunday for publishing a personal letter that Meghan had written to her father. British law against defamation allows this kind of suit. William and Kate sued a French periodical in 2012 for publishing topless pictures of the duchess. Even Queen Victoria and Prince Albert once famously sued a newspaper for printing private pictures of the royals at home.
What will become of this suit is for the future to determine, but in the meantime, the very existence of the lawsuit reveals the stress and anger the media attention has created in Harry and Meghan’s lives.