She’s kept her distance for four years now, ever since she and Prince Harry stepped down as senior royals and left the UK for good. And though Meghan Markle has quietened her complaints against the royal family over the past year, it’s no secret that there is bad blood across on both sides of the pond. Indeed, up until very recently, the very notion of both parties being able to put aside their differences and finally make peace seemed as far-fetched as the Tooth Fairy moving into Buckingham Palace.
However, it’s safe to say that – over the past six months – the complexion of the monarchy has changed dramatically, as King Charles and Kate Middleton have each been fighting their own battles with cancer. And, while Harry and Meghan initially remained steadfast in their estrangement from the palace, there’s no denying that Harry, in particular, has softened his anger and resentment towards the family he left behind. As heat has previously told you – having been blindsided by his father and sister-in-law’s respective diagnoses – he’s been making concerted efforts to reach out to his former loved-ones directly, and rebuild the bridges that have been broken.
But Harry’s attempts to reconcile are only half the battle – and Meghan knows it too. According to insiders, the mother-of-two understands that, if Harry has any chance in reconnecting with the royal family in their time of need, it’s going to take some effort from her too to make amends. That means swallowing her pride, reaching out, and speaking directly to the in-laws who, at one point, she thought she’d never interact with again.
“It’s a sensitive subject because Harry doesn’t want to command Meghan to do anything, but the situation with his family is now so far gone,” says an insider close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have lodged an increasingly incendiary series of complaints and attacks against the royals over the years, ever since moving to California in 2020.
“He now feels like the only way back is to have Meghan reach out to Charles and Kate to try to mend fences. He’s wrestled with so many different scenarios and has tried everything under the sun himself, but he’s gotten nowhere. The only thing that’s left is for Meghan to have a go at fixing things.”
As heat has previously told you, Meghan has always been of the opinion that it’s time to move on – away from his family – and focus on their future: forging new friendships in the US, cementing themselves as power players in business and charity sectors, and proving that they don’t need royal privileges to get ahead. However, while Harry has ostensibly followed her lead, it’s been increasingly hard for him to look away from the life he left behind, especially with his loved ones’ health and welfare on the line.
While Charles reportedly told his younger son about his cancer diagnosis on the phone soon before it was revealed to the public in February, it’s believed that Harry only learnt about Kate’s own health battle when the rest of the world did – in March, when she bravely announced in a video message that she was in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy treatment. Since then, he’s been doing all he can to reach out to “the sister I never had and always wanted” – but, with his rift with older brother Prince William still blazing – it’s reportedly been hard for Harry to get a direct line to the palace.
What’s more, given that Harry and Meghan have previously accused Kate of displaying icy behaviour, and have even alleged that she made Meghan cry over a disagreement about Princess Charlotte’s flower girl dress at their wedding, it’s apparently a tall order for Harry to make amends alone. As far as he’s concerned, he needs Meghan on board and extending an olive branch to make things right. And while she’s been unapologetic in the past when it comes to the royals, this time she understands what’s at stake. We’re told that – albeit reluctantly – she’s respecting Harry’s wishes and duly reaching out to his family.
“It’s all about being the bigger person and making that first call, and Meghan has reluctantly agreed to it if that’s what Harry wants and needs,” says our source. “Right now, they’re figuring out the best strategy, but Harry’s hoping she’ll have some one-on-one calls with both Kate and Charles. He feels that the royals may put on this heavy front of wanting nothing to do with her anymore, but, if she makes the effort, they’ll soften towards her, especially if she shows them how compassionate and caring she can be. They can’t go on like this, and Meghan insists that she doesn’t want this cold war for the rest of their lives, so – if she needs to be the one to offer the first olive branch – she’s willing to do that for Harry’s sake and for the sake of their children.”
It’s certainly been an upsetting time for Harry, as he’s watched the news unfold about his family as a passive spectator. Though he jumped on a plane to see Charles as soon as the latter’s cancer diagnosis was revealed, it’s said they only spent an hour together before Harry returned to the US.
Meanwhile, the last time he was in the country in May, he didn’t see his father at all, as the King had a “full programme” and couldn’t find time in his schedule. As for Kate, she made a triumphant return to public life last month as she celebrated Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace alongside the rest of the royals, having said in a surprise video the day before that she still had “good days and bad days” as she continued treatment. It’s apparently been “painful” for Harry to see Kate returning to royal life from afar, as he’d have preferred to be cheering her on from the sidelines, and he can’t bear the fact that he’s on the furthest fringes when it comes to receiving updates about her and Charles’ conditions. Meghan, for her part, knows what’s at stake – so, she’s swallowing her pride, and standing side by side with her husband and calling for a truce.
“Meghan wants Harry’s family to know that she’s not looking to stir up any trouble,” says our source. “The time for pettiness is long gone at this point. That doesn’t mean this will be easy for her, but she prides herself on her diplomacy skills and being able to do hard things. Ultimately, she loves Harry and wants to see him happy again. He misses his family terribly and Meghan has agreed to do her level best to help him and set things right.”