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It’s been almost a year since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle set foot on British soil. After waving goodbye to their royal duties last March, the couple have been living in California with their 20-month-old son Archie ever since. But as heat has told you, Harry is preparing to return to the UK to visit his family again – but now it seems that Meghan and Archie are unlikely to join him.
An insider close to the 36-year-old royal tells heat that the couple are nervous about spending a lot of time apart.
“The reality of the situation is that Harry will likely need to quarantine on both sides of the Atlantic for ten days before and after each visit, so it makes little to zero sense for him to travel unless he stays at least a month or two,” a source explains. “Meghan is adamant she needs to stay in LA for work, but she’s also keen to avoid any negative attention her trip to England may cause. So, they’re looking at their first big period apart since before they were married – and that’s a nightmare for them both.”
While it’s unknown exactly when Harry may visit the UK, he is expected to be in attendance at a number of events in June, including Prince Philip’s 100th birthday celebrations and Trooping the Colour – the official celebration of the Queen’s 95th birthday. Harry and Prince William are also set to unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, in July to commemorate what would have been her 60th birthday.
And with quarantine rules likely to stay in place for the foreseeable, Harry is going to be apart from Meghan and his son for quite some time.
CHECK OUT Meghan and Harry's love story from the start
Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Relationship Timeline
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016.
2 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
They were introduced by mutual friend Markus Anderson, who is the director of Soho House.
3 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In October 2016, the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend.
4 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 8th 2016, Kensington Palace released an unprecedented statement which referring to Markle as Harry's girlfriend for the first time.
5 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In the statement, Prince Harry condemned the 'wave of abuse and harrassment' faced by Markle, saying that he was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.'
6 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Marklec
'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm,' the statement continued.
7 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were papped together for the first time in December 2016, shopping for a Christmas tree in London at the Pines and Needles store.
8 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later that week, they were seen on London's West End, catching a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
9 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In February, Prince Harry wore a his 'n' hers bracelet on the cover of Town & Country magazine, just weeks after Markle was pictured wearing the same one on Instagram.
10 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In March 2017, Meghan joined Prince Harry in the Caribbean for the wedding of his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young.
11 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
It was the first time that Markle accompanied Harry to a wedding, marking another milestone occasion for the couple.
12 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The first public event attended by the couple was the polo at Coworth Park in May 2017.
13 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later in May, Markle attended the party portion of Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Middelton.
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Prince Harry was seen driving her to the event after the church ceremony.
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The couple were photographed together the following day at the wheelchair tennis.
16 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and appearing affectionate while at the Invictus Games.
17 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan referred to Harry as her boyfriend numerous times, saying: 'We're a couple. We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people understand is that this is our time.'
18 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In early November 2017, it was reported that Meghan Markle was leaving Suits after seven series.
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Much was made of Markle's choice of outfit: ripped jeans and a white blouse called 'The Husband'.
20 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Although Prince Harry was sat next to First Lady Melania Trump at the event, rather than his girlfriend, she was only seated a few rows behind him.
21 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple made their first official public appearance in September, when Markle attended the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games.
22 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In mid-November 2017, bookies suspending betting on an impending royal engagement, as speculation grew that an announcement was about to be made.
23 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 27th 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating.
24 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label. The website has subsequently crashed.
25 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The engagement ring, by Cleave and Company, was reportedly designed by Prince Harry himself, using two stones that belonged to Princess Diana.
26 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!'
27 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple indulged in some PDA at the closing ceremony.
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Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands Aritzia.
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She teamed it with a matching burgundy biker jacket by Mackage.
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Prince Harry reportedly spent time with Meghan's mother Doria while at the Games too.
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Prince Harry was photographed kissing Meghan.
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In late September 2017, it was reported that Meghan had met the Queen, prompting speculation that the relationship was getting serious.
“Harry hates the idea of being apart from Meghan and Archie for a sustained period, but there’s not much he can do since he’ll be at the mercy of quarantine guidelines,” our insider says. “Obviously, his family’s safety is way more important than anything else, so he wouldn’t dream of rushing back to the US if it poses even a miniscule risk.”
And while it’s believed Meghan, 39, will stay in America, our source tells us she would love to be able to accompany Harry.
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“This will be the longest they’ve been apart since they got married, and it’s going to be tough for them both,” we’re told. “They have a lot of work to get through together with their Netflix filming about to start. Meghan will be stretched to the limit juggling the day-to-day responsibilities, with all the meetings she’ll have to attend – all without Harry there to support her. She’s got no problem stepping up, of course, but juggling it all while looking after Archie will be challenging, and she’s worried.”
The insider adds, “The biggest regret by far in this whole scenario is not being together as a team, to show that they’re still very attached to Harry’s British roots and committed to maintaining a relationship with the monarchy in general.”
Read more in the latest issue of heat magazine – OUT NOW.