Palace ‘Spooked’ and ‘Exasperated’ by Meghan Markle’s Rapid Push to Raise Her Public Profile
The palace is putting some very visible distance between itself and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as the couple embark on their new life in the U.K.
On Monday, King Charles III directed the Lord Chamberlain to send a letter to senior government officials on his behalf clarifying that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer working royals.
“The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity,” the letter stressed (via BBC).
Meghan and Harry “surprised” by palace letter
The firmly worded statement appears to have caught Harry and Meghan off guard. The couple was sent the letter a little less than an hour before it was released to the media, which left them scrambling and “surprised”, The Guardian reported.
The letter, which palace insiders say was released publicly in the interest of transparency, comes as the royal family views Meghan and Harry’s return with trepidation – and annoyance.
Charles is allegedly “spooked” by his son and daughter-in-law’s recent move, while senior royals are “exasperated,” sources told The Daily Mail (via Express).
“They have only been back a matter of days and can have barely unpacked but we keep hearing how they want to step up their charity work which would inevitably raise their public profile,” an insider said.
Meghan has kept a low profile since returning to the U.K. last month
Despite fears of an all-out media blitz, the Sussexes have been relatively quiet since making their sudden move to England from California. They arrived in the U.K. on August 26, but neither Harry nor Meghan has had any public engagements as of September 8. On Friday, September 4, Harry was at Tower Bridge Studios in London were he was working on an undisclosed project, People reported. Later this month, he is reportedly scheduled to take part in a skydiving event for Sunnybrook and the True Patriot Love Foundation, which supports military communities in Canada. The prince is also expected to spend time preparing for the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
Meghan was seen for the first time recently getting coffee at Soho Farmhouse, an exclusive private club in Oxfordshire. In recent weeks, there have been rumors that she might try to relaunch her acting career in the U.K., perhaps with a role in Netflix’s The Gentlemen. However, nothing formal has been announced. Right now, the former Suits star is apparently focused on helping her and Harry’s children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, adjust after their big move.
“There are a lot of things to arrange,” a source told The Sun. “Meghan is totally focused on getting the kids settled for now.”
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