Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family has been strained for some time and a photo of Prince George is said to have been a ‘wake up call’
12:48, 13 May 2025Updated 12:48, 13 May 2025
They remain estanged from the family(Image: Raymond Hall, GC Imagesvia Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s strained ties with the Royal family appear to be irreparable, with the Duke alleging that his father, the King, has ceased communication with him. The rift between the Sussexes and the royals can be traced back to their decision to step away from Royal duties.
A charming photo of Prince George was reportedly the ‘wake up call’ for Harry and Meghan, solidifying their decision to leave the Firm, according to a Royal expert. The picture in question depicted the late Queen alongside her three heirs – then-Prince Charles, Prince William, and six year old Prince George – in the throne room at Buckingham Palace.
The image was unveiled at the start of 2020, just days before Harry and Meghan announced their intention to resign as working royals. At first glance, the photo simply represented the monarchy’s future, echoing many historic portraits.
The Queen’s official portrait with heirs Charles, William and George sparked chaos(Image: PA)
However, it is said to have sparked discontent behind closed doors.
In his book ‘Meghan: A Hollywood Princess’, Andrew Morton penned: “The royal couple suspected that the entire institution was conspiring against them. As they saw it, the evidence was all around them. The unspoken code was straightforward: the future of the monarchy was assured, with or without Meghan and Harry.”, reports the Mirror.
In an exclusive interview on The Mirror’s podcast Pod Save The King, Andrew Morton revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had commenced discussions regarding a potential departure from the Royal Family much earlier than widely assumed. Morton stated: “Harry had conversations with Oprah Winfrey in a London hotel back in November 2018, just six months after they got married. So, they were considering a different path quite early on.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had a moment(Image: Netflix)
This revelation follows Prince Harry’s recent BBC News interview, in which he faced criticism after a judge dismissed his legal challenge concerning his reduced security following his decision to step back as a working Royal in 2020. Prince Harry expressed his desire for reconciliation with his family, stating, “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.
“Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” he continued, referencing King Charles. “He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile.”
Harry further asserted that his security concerns “could be resolved” with King Charles’ involvement. “There is a lot of control and ability in my father’s hands,” he said.
Prince Harry sat down with the BBC in a shocking interview and said the King would not talk to him(Image: BBC)
“Ultimately, this whole thing could be resolved through him. Not necessarily by intervening, but by stepping aside, allowing the experts to do what is necessary.”
The palace has repeatedly refuted claims that the King holds the authority to reinstate Harry’s security. In reaction, a source disclosed to the Sunday Telegraph that this demonstrates there is “nothing that can be trusted to remain private” and “as for their being no contact, well, he has just proven why, yet again”.
Furthermore, an insider revealed to ITV News: “For a son who claims to want a family reconciliation, it’s certainly a very curious way to build bridges or offer olive branches. His beloved grandmother would have been truly horrified. The King is a kind man with a warm heart and quite enough on his plate to deal with, without all this from his son.”
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