They were the picture of bliss when they kissed on the steps of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle after their wedding in 2018. And Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tried to emulate that same happiness last month, as they shared a collection of photos of themselves beaming as they were joined by son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, three, to celebrate the festive season.
But, despite appearances, much has changed for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the years since. Harry publicly addressed rumours of a split towards the end of last year after fans noted they were seemingly living ‘separate lives’ with an increasing number of solo appearances. He said during a talk in New York in December, ‘We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times… It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it.’
And now a source tells heat that, while they are far from heading to the divorce courts, Harry – who spent last year attempting to build bridges with the royal family – has finally admitted that their current set-up of pursuing individual paths in the public eye isn’t working. We’re told, ‘On the surface of it all, Meghan and Harry are doing the best to laugh off rumours that things are not exactly rock solid between them. But the truth is, the life they’re living now isn’t what either of them had imagined from the beginning.’
While Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, made two high-profile ‘faux-royal’ tours last year – to Nigeria in May and Colombia in August – they spent much of 2024 working apart. Harry carried out solo engagements in Toronto, where his Invictus Games will be held next month, and also went on a two-week trip visiting New York, London, South Africa and Lesotho. And while he was away, Meghan made two surprise appearances on the red carpet in Beverly Hills, including when she reunited with her film producer pal Tyler Perry at The Paley Honors gala.
But we’re told that this way of living is no longer working for Harry and – while Meghan seems to accept being estranged from her own family, having not spoken to her father Thomas Markle since 2018 – he is determined to make 2025 the year he finally makes amends with his. ‘Harry is telling Meghan that things are not working for him. The major sticking point remains the mess he’s made with his family – which is difficult now that he’s taking accountability for it, while Meghan still puts the blame firmly on them,’ the source says.
The rift between the Sussexes and the royals first occurred when they announced they were stepping down from their roles as senior royals in 2020. But wounds grew deeper after the couple’s bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they claimed members of the royal family had ‘questioned the colour of Archie’s skin’ before he was born and that the Palace dismissed fears about Meghan’s mental health. And the war between Harry and his brother Prince William went nuclear in 2023 when Harry detailed arguments he and Meghan had with William and wife Kate Middleton in his controversial memoir Spare.
While Meghan is supportive of her husband repairing his relationship, our source adds that she isn’t willing to budge on her reluctance to return to the UK. ‘She will not even consider going back to the UK or bending over to apologise. But Harry is feeling the heat from his close friends, who are constantly worrying about him. They can tell he has a strong desire to make amends in any way that he can with his father and brother, but his new life in the US is holding him back from that,’ we’re told.
‘His pals have even said that it’s good he is spending time apart from Meghan, as it’s been like a pressure cooker, trying to decide what they’re going to do going forward. With there being so many health scares in the royal family – both with Catherine and King Charles – Harry is feeling more homesick than ever and the inner turmoil of not being in a good place with his family is driving him wild.’
Harry said himself last February that he was keen to see his family more, revealing, ‘My family and my life in California is as it is. I have got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so I'll stop in and see my family as much as I can.’ But it seems his attempts fell flat as a spokesperson for Harry confirmed the King was ‘too busy’ to see him when he visited the UK last May, And in August, he and William reportedly sat apart and didn’t speak when they attended the funeral of their late mother Princess Diana’s brother-in-law Lord Robert Fellowes.
The source continues, ‘The question for Harry and Meghan now is how they go about prioritising their marriage this year as they appear to be on completely separate pages in their lives. Friends are worried that if things get any more tense between them – they may start wondering if it’s all worth it, especially if Harry isn’t happy with the way things are.
‘Of course, Harry doesn’t want his marriage to end he loves Meghan and his children. But he would be lying if he said the last year or so hasn’t taken a huge toll on his wellbeing. He wants nothing more than peace with the royal family and is worried that Meghan’s goals just don’t align with that. He’s scared he could end up estranged with his family for the rest of his life.’