Cast your minds back to Prince Harry’s bachelor days, long before he was one half of the Sussex power duo. Back then, he was famed as the UK’s 'party prince' – the cheeky yin to Prince William’s sensible, heir-in-waiting yang, who was never too far away from falling out of a nightclub or getting into trouble on a lads’ holiday.
Obviously, everything changed when he met Meghan Markle, who was duly credited for taming the prince’s wilder ways. They came from two very different walks of life, but - by the time they married in 2018 - they had effectively transformed themselves into one inseparable unit, which they cemented when they stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and moved to the US. For all intents and units, team Sussex was impenetrable.
Then of course, over the next few years, they worked hard to elevate their shared brand to supernova status – something they achieved, as we all know, with limited success. Despite initially gaining praise for their philanthropic efforts and candid comments about their suffering at the hands of the palace, they soon started to face backlash – with complaints levied against them that they were 'whiney' and work-shy 'grifters'.
As heat has told you, they’ve since spent 2024 pulling out all the stops to turn around the narrative that’s been pedalled against them and the Sussex name. And, as we approach the end of the year, it seems they’ve had the most success by taking visible steps to separate themselves on a professional platform. No longer do they sit together for joint interviews, exclusively walk red carpets and make speeches arm in arm, and pose side by side for photographs.
Instead, they are now two separately functioning entities, with Harry believed to be focusing predominately on his philanthropic projects, while Meghan hones in on her entrepreneurial and commercial endeavours. So far as two separate Sussexes go, it seems the plan is working, as their popularity is once again on the up.
Still, separating their lot has had some implications – not least for Meghan, who – ostensibly – has chosen to focus on ventures closer to home in Montecito, presumably to be as close as possible to her and Harry’s children – Archie, five, and Lilibet, two. Last week, while Harry, 40, was on another work trip abroad, Meghan stepped out solo as she hosted at a Thanksgiving dinner for the Southern California Welcome Project. And this week, she was out in LA again, as she attended the 2024 Paley Honors Fall Gala, where her and Harry’s close friend, Tyler Perry, was being awarded The Paley Honors Award.
Harry, meanwhile, was all the way over on the east coast, landing in New York to join Andrew Ross Sorkin for a conversation at The New York Times DealBook Conference. Harry’s Big Apple trip is just the latest in the prince’s extensive travelogue over the past few months – having undertaken several trips to the UK, Lesotho, South Africa and Canada to attend public and charitable engagements, without Meghan and his kids in tow. And, as we’ve reported, it’s all part of their plan to divide and conquer.
Still, Harry’s increased solo outings have come with a serious caveat from his wife of six years – and that’s sticking to a certain set of rules along the way. According to insiders, the former party prince has been given a curfew while on his work trips, as – while Meghan trusts him implicitly – she also knows the importance of optics and doesn’t want him seen to be doing anything that can be held against them. What’s more, she can’t always be sure that he’ll be surrounded by the most sensible influences. So, she’s laying down the law, to make sure they continue to strengthen their divided but united brand, rather than destroy it.
'Meghan knows there will always be people looking to trip Harry up,' says an insider close to the couple, who last appeared together publicly while on their quasi-royal tour to Colombia in August. 'Even if people around him don’t have negative motives, the reality is that – once the drinks start flowing – everyone’s guards come down, including Harry’s. That’s the last thing Meghan needs to be worrying about, and that can easily be avoided if Harry is tucked up in bed at a reasonable hour.
'Plus, if he’s back in his hotel room straight after dinner, they can video chat and he can even read the kids their bedtime stories. He’s got a packed schedule while he’s working away with early mornings, so – for his own sake – getting an early night is best anyway. She’d rather not mandate a curfew, but it does make her feel a lot better, so she doesn’t see why there should be any issues with it. She's going to stick to her guns – after all, it’s her marriage and no one else’s business.'
Obviously, Harry has – as general consensus agrees – been nothing but a model partner to Meghan ever since they met. But he’s also been open about his propensity towards reckless behaviour in his younger years, opening up in his memoir Spare about his drug-fuelled nights out and experiences at all-night raves. Plus, who can forget the time he was infamously photographed on a drunken night in Las Vegas in 2012 wearing little more than a necklace and his pride?
Sources say he’s left those wild days long behind him, but – as far as Meghan is concerned – they’re now on a whole new playing field, working as two separate entities, and are still trying to find their feet. So, as they iron out any creases, she’s hoping he’ll stick to her curfew requests and clock in at a reasonable hour. As for Harry, we’re told he’s feeling slighty 'patronised' by the early night edict, but he’s also following the old adage, 'happy wife, happy life,' and playing along accordingly.
'Harry understands that Meghan is looking out for his best interests, but it’s still quite embarrassing to be micromanaged like he’s an immature 20-something,' says our insider. 'He’s a middle-aged father of two and he swears his wild days are so far behind him that he’d never even be tempted to land himself in any sort of questionable situation. But he does understand the justification, which is the scrutiny he’s under whenever he’s away from her. People are desperate to see their marriage fail, and – let’s face it, he’s got a history of getting himself into embarrassing situations – so nights out without his wife are just a very bad look.'
For now, it seems he’ll be following his wife’s timekeeping and clocking in at an early hour. The big question is, is that Eastern Standard Time – or will he still be expected to be living on California’s time zone while he’s across the country? Your call, Meghan.