The Queen and senior royals are ‘very worried’ about the ‘direction’ Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are heading after they launched an attack on the media, a royal expert claims.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex told of their struggles with being in the spotlight and the ‘unfair’ scrutiny they now face in interviews shown on an ITV documentary last night.
Meghan told how her friends warned her not to marry Harry because the tabloid focus would ‘destroy your life’ and Harry said that he felt pressure to ‘protect’ his family from unwanted media intrusion.
The Prince also opened up about his ‘rift’ with his brother William in the interviews by ITV’s Tom Brady conducted during their official royal tour to Africa.
They came following months of controversy involving Meghan and Harry, who came under fire for their privacy demands over Archie’s christening, their use of private jets, and Meghan’s Wimbledon appearance when she banned fans from taking photos.
Phil Dampier, author of Royally Suited – a book on Harry and Meghan’s romance, who has written about the royals for three decades, said some senior members of the royal family are concerned after the couple waged war with the press.
They are suing the Mail on Sunday over its publication of Meghan’s estranged father’s letters, and have begun legal action against the Sun and Mirror news groups over allegations of phone hacking dating back to the early 2000s.
Mr Dampier told MailOnline: ‘I am told that the senior royals from the Queen down and courtiers are very worried about the direction Harry and Meghan are taking and it’s very serious.
‘I hope on their six week holiday they reflect very carefully on what they do next.
‘They had turned a corner with the Africa trip but all the good works were overshadowed by this attack on the press. ‘They are either being badly advised or ignoring advice.’
Last week the Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers appeared on Lorraine today to speak about the documentary in which Meghan, 38, revealed she’s found it difficult to cope since marrying Prince Harry, 35, and giving birth to their son Archie.
The expert alleged that the interview could be the ‘beginning of the end’ of the couple’s relationship with Harry’s family – because her comments reflect poorly on the other royals.
He explained that her comments insinuate that the likes of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, and Prince William and Kate Middleton are unconcerned about the well-being of Meghan, despite them all being aware of the ‘struggles she’s going through’.
Duchess Meghan was close to tears as she spoke about her ‘struggle’ in the spotlight during an interview for ITV documentary ‘Harry and Meghan: An African Journey’
The expert alleged that the interview could be the ‘beginning of the end’ in terms of the couple’s relationship with Harry’s family , including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who are pictured here on their royal tour of Pakistan
He said: ‘Meghan is struggling. The very powerful moment where she says nobody has asked her if she’s okay, I think that was very raw and very emotional.
‘But I think this is potentially very damaging for the royal family as well.
‘Because what does she mean by that? Does she mean that Prince Charles, Prince William, Kate, Camilla, have not asked her how she is?
‘They obviously understand the struggles she’s going through as well.’
He alleged that her accusation of nobody asking whether she’s ‘okay’ suggested that senior royals, including Prince Charles and Camilla Parka Bowles, were unconcerned with her well-being
He went on to explain that he’s been on engagements with the royal couple where the pair ‘don’t look like they’re having fun’, and compared their recent tour of Africa to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent tour of Pakistan.
He said: ‘At its base they don’t look very happy, they look like they’re struggling in the public eye.
‘When I’ve been on engagements with them they don’t look like they’re having fun – a lot of comparisons were made with William and Kate’s tour of Pakistan.
‘They looked like they were having a good time.
He appeared on Lorraine today to share his view on the royal couple’s and shared that while on engagements with the couple, he doesn’t think they ‘have fun’
‘Will they be stepping away? We could be seeing the beginning of the end with their relationship with the royal family.’
In the same documentary, Harry seemingly confirmed a rift with his brother as he acknowledged there had been deepening tensions between himself and William, following months of speculation about the state of the brothers’ relationship.
Russel revealed that for the last few months palace aides have been ‘at odds to really damp this down’.
He said: ‘He confirmed these reports that have been spoken about for the best part of a year.
In the same documentary, Harry seemingly confirmed a rift with his brother as he acknowledged there had been deepening tensions between himself and William
Russell said Meghan was ‘very, very vulnerable’ and revealed that the family are considering permanently moving away following their break from the spotlight
‘For the best part of a year palace aides have been at odds to really damp this down throughout the last few months and now we’ve got confirmation there has been a falling out.’
The expert added that Meghan and Harry are even considering moving abroad to escape the spotlight.
He said: ‘They’re taking a break now. Looking at Meghan she looks very, very vulnerable and they’re even thinking about moving away.’