While the rest of us were still taking down bunting and nursing hangovers, Buckingham Palace was dealing with its own post-Platty Joobs aftermath. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle dashed home to the US on a private jet following a frosty visit, proving things between the royal rebels and the rest of the family – especially Prince William and Kate Middleton – have not improved. In fact, insiders tell heat the whole trip has made the royal rift ten times worse.
“Harry and Meghan knew there would be awkward moments, but they had no idea how hostile the reception would be,” says an insider close to the Duke of Sussex, 37, who famously fell out with much of his family – and the British public – after he and Meghan, 40, dramatically quit royal duties in 2020. “The reception from the royals felt decidedly unwelcoming.”
The couple attended only one official event for the Jubilee – a National Service of Remembrance in honour of the Queen’s 70 years on the throne at St Paul’s Cathedral – and boos could be heard from the crowd as the Duke and Duchess arrived. “Being ridiculed like that was very hard for Harry to take,” says our source.
“He tries not to read the negative things written about them, but there was no avoiding it. They’ve been accused of milking their fame and being money-hungry. There were plenty of cheers for them, too, but they know some of the public didn’t want them to come back for the Jubilee and that was really hurtful.”
The following day, Harry and Meghan invited family to celebrate their daughter Lilibet’s first birthday, but were snubbed again. Wills, 39, and Kate, 40, were both occupied on an official engagement in Wales, and only managed a tweet for their niece, reading, “Wishing a very happy birthday to Lilibet, turning one today!”
And Meghan and Harry – who are also parents to three-year-old Archie – apparently weren’t impressed. “It was a kick in the teeth that the Cambridges didn’t attend,” says heat’s insider. “For Meghan, it just strengthened her resolve to not come back.”
The formerly close brothers were publicly distant with each other during their much-studied reunion at St Paul’s. They arrived and left separately, and the Sussexes were sat in the second row, behind minor royals at the other end of the cathedral, ensuring the siblings weren’t photographed together. Much speculation was also given to a look Kate threw at Harry and Meghan during the service, with lipreaders claiming she’d mouthed an enigmatic, “Wow,” in their direction.
As heat has previously reported, Kate has frequently played the role of peacemaker, but we’re told even she’s had enough now. “It seemed clear that Kate had no interest in playing nice with Meghan,” we’re told. “And sad as it is, William feels the same. The view is that the Sussexes were lucky to receive any type of goodwill after the damage and embarrassment they’ve caused the monarchy. Neither side looks likely to back down.”
Now back in the States, sources say the whole debacle has thrown up issues for Harry and Meghan around their $100 million Netflix deal. Royal biographer Angela Levin last week claimed bosses at the streaming giant “aren’t very pleased with them”, explaining, “Netflix wanted them to get photos with senior royals.”
It also makes things tricky when it comes to Harry’s much-pulicised upcoming memoir – tentatively scheduled for publication in late 2022. Our insider tells us that the Queen is so concerned about giving Harry photographic ammunition, she banned their photographer when she met Lilibet for the first time.
We’re told, “Everyone’s suspicious of Harry and Meghan. They can’t change that, but at least they made the effort by visiting the UK. If they can keep their cool, there’s nothing to stop them coming over again – whatever the Cambridges might think.”