They used to be joined at the hip, but lately Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been living somewhat separate lives, covering events on opposite sides of the world. Over the past month, Harry spent time in New York before travelling to the UK ahead of a four-day trip to South Africa and Lesotho. Meanwhile, Meghan remained in California, attending the LA Children’s Hospital Gala and joining in with a tween crafting session at Girls Inc in Santa Barbara.
While Harry appeared happy on his engagements, Meghan’s appearances have led to concern, with one expert saying that she looked ‘unhappy’ without him. ‘I think Meghan was overshadowed, and I don’t think she was happy about it,’ royal commentator Ingrid Steward said.
Now, a source tells heat that Meghan, 42, is struggling to cope without her husband, despite agreeing to focus on their individual projects.
‘Meghan is doing her best to deal with this change, but it’s not been easy,’ we’re told. ‘They’ve agreed to go their separate ways for a while when it comes to appearances and work, not least because they’ve got so much on their plates. They can’t be in two places at once, so it’s much better to divide and conquer, at least in theory.’
However, the source adds, ‘Putting these changes into action has left Meghan quite bewildered. She’s gotten so used to having Harry by her side for every big public event and red carpet, and he’s a really calming influence for her.
'Not having him there is difficult, especially since he seems to be having no problems adjusting. He’s obviously thriving on his own, while she’s feeling lost and is finding it hard to cope. By all accounts, it has her questioning if them being more independent was a good idea.’
The couple agreed to focus more on solo projects last year after their dream of being a ‘power couple’ in the US seemed to stall. Reports claimed they would continue to carry out some engagements together and go on foreign visits – such as their recent trip to Colombia – but would split their work projects. So, while Harry, 40, promoted his memoir Spare alone, Meghan focused on the launch of her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.
They also have more projects for Netflix in the pipeline – Harry has made a show about polo, while Meghan has filmed a cookery and lifestyle programme.
According to the insider, Meghan is worried about how easily Harry has seemed to slip into solo mode. We’re told, ‘When she and Harry agreed to this pact, the idea was to try it out and see how it worked, then reassess. But he’s adapted to it so well, it looks like something he’s going to want to stick with. Harry is so much more in his element doing the tours, the speaking engagements and the charitable visits – it’s what he was raised to do.’
Now, the source adds, this is how things have to be for the foreseeable future.
‘Meghan is still determined to be taken seriously in Hollywood and build her brand, so there’s simply no way she can take a step back. If anything, she needs to attend more events and walk more red carpets. On paper, going alone or with a friend, sounds like a great compromise. But in practice, she’s finding it quite destabilising and lonely.’
The insider continues, ‘Up until now, Harry and Meghan have been such a unit, so it’s a huge adjustment to go without him. And, what’s making it even harder is that a lot of people are taking this change as proof that they are having difficulties in their marriage. That’s especially tough for Meghan, because her image is so tied to being Harry’s wife.
‘No matter how much they both insist that things are completely solid between them, when she turns up to events solo, the whispers start.’