‘Forced out’: Meghan Markle is laying low with baby Archie in $20 million mansion amid ‘Megxit’ drama
Meghan Markle is said to be ‘laying low’ in Canada amid the Megxit scandal, as new reports claim her father may give evidence in an explosive legal case.
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Meghan Markle is said to be “laying low” in Canada amid the Megxit scandal, as new reports have suggested her dad may give evidence in an upcoming legal case.
The Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father Thomas Markle, 75, is prepared to take the stand as a key witness for the defence in a court case she has brought against British newspaper the Mail On Sunday, according toThe Sun.
Documents filed at London’s High Court outlined the extent of Meghan’s fall out with her father, and were filed by the Mail On Sunday as it fights a legal action bought on by Meghan and Prince Harry.
The documents allege that private details of her broken relationship with her father – revealed in a US magazine by five “friends” – could only have come from her.
The Sun reports that Meghan and Prince Harry are suing the Mail On Sunday for damages after it published a leaked letter she wrote to Thomas three months after her May 2018 wedding.
Meghan claims it was misuse of her private information and breach of copyright.
The former Suits actor could be forced to hand over private text messages, emails and phone records as part of the legal disclosure process.
And she is likely to be called as a witness if the case is not settled out of court.
Meantime, a source told People magazine that Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, felt they had no choice but to leave the royal family, because the dynamic had become “toxic”.
“This is not how they wanted to handle this, but Meghan and Harry’s hand was forced,” the source told People.
“There is so much bad blood in that family — it’s toxic,” the source said. “If relationships had been better, things would have been different.”
Meantime, the royals have denied reports that former Suits star Meghan was “barred” from joining crisis talks with her husband, as he met with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William.
Meghan stayed in Canada as Prince Harry negotiated money, titles and the couple’s international commercial brand.
‘WASN’T NECESSARY’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s spokesman insisted Meghan was not shut-out of the discussion and instead allowed her husband to handle it solo.
“In the end, the Sussexes decided that it wasn’t necessary for the Duchess to join,” the spokesman said.
It came as a tried and stressed-looking Prince William returned to royal duties amid the “Megxit” scandal.
Prince William, 38, was appeared exhausted as he drove through London on Tuesday morning (local time).
Hours later, it was business as usual as he attended an event at Buckingham Palace.
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William was said to have appeared joyful while congratulating Member of the Order of the British Empire recipients at a ceremony at the Buckingham Palace.
He has been praised online for signing congratulations and finger spelling Alex Duguid’s name, who has spent the past three decades helping broadcasters communicate with deaf audiences.
The Sun reported that Prince William and Prince Harry’s relationship is “tense and deeply damaged” following a series of furious arguments.
The brothers recently put on a rare, united front as they denied allegations of “bullying” which suggested Prince William had driven his brother and sister-in-law out of the royal family.
Kudos to HRH Prince William for fingerspelling â€Alex†in British Sign Language (BSL) to Deaf recipient. Congratulations to Alex Duguid! https://t.co/M0Msn4DFGw
— Erikson Young (@EriksonYoung) January 14, 2020
Prince William, massive respect for taking the chance to learn a little sign language. ðŸ‘
— Matthew Pullen (@pullenuk) January 14, 2020
How wonderful of Prince William to take the time to learn sign language. That is how a royal with integrity acts. So incredibly thoughtful.
— Colette Lala (@ColetteLala) January 14, 2020
‘CONSTRUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS’
On Monday, the Queen graciously approved Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal departure, as the monarch threw aside protocol to save her family.
The Queen, 93, allowed her grandson and his former actress wife a chance to start a new life in Canada with their baby Archie, issuing an unprecedented and emotionally-charged statement.
It came amid claims of furious fighting between Prince William, 37, and Prince Harry, 35, with sparks flying the night before a polo game that was attended by both their wives and children.
The spat was so bitter, they have not been able to recover, as Prince Harry strikes out a new path for the royal family.
Royal aides are now thrashing out a deal over Prince Harry and Meghan’s titles, funding and move to Canada.
The 90-minute meeting between the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry sealed the royal “divorce” deal.
“Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family,” the Queen said.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.
“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
Royal statements, including the one last week reacting to Prince Harry and Meghan’s news they wanted out of the family last week, usually referred to the couple by their titles, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
There was debate whether the common touch meant the Queen was planning to strip them of their titles.
But that was dismissed, with royal commentators saying it was a sign of how personal the issue was to the Queen.
However, mending fences between Prince William and Prince Harry may not be as simple.
The Sun newspaper, which broke the story about Prince Harry’s Canada move, said that the brothers’ relationship was “tense and deeply damaged”.
Despite a united front rejecting reports of bullying behaviour this week, Princess Diana’s boys were at loggerheads.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see just how damaged William and Harry’s relationship has become,” a source told The Sun.
“They’ll always love each other as brothers, but right now things have never been so bad. William feels betrayed and let down by Harry.
“Harry feels like William and Kate never gave Meghan a chance. And now they’re leaving the country in this state.”
Meanwhile, Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland has backed the couple’s decision to walk out on the royal family.
“Doria is very much about being true to oneself and so of course she will continue to encourage Meghan to take the road less travelled,” a friend of Meghan’s told the Daily Mail.
There were few details of how the couple would become part-time royals, with security and finances still up in the air, but with another promise of more news within days.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives,” the Queen said.
“It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.
“These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
Prince Harry and Meghan have been staying rent free at a multimillion-dollar home on Vancouver Island in Canada during a six-week break, with Meghan expected to remain there.
The couple’s desire to pay their own way has complicated the discussions.
It remains unclear what work they could do and whether they may be restricted from spruiking products because of their links to the royal family.
No details were released about whether they will keep their royal titles.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan was scathing of the couple. “Harry/Meghan have successfully bullied the Queen into letting them have their cake & eat it,” he tweeted following the Queen’s statement.
And he criticised Prince Harry for a video in which he is seen pitching Meghan as a voiceover actress to Disney chief executive Bob Iger. The movie studio has since given Meghan voiceover work, in exchange for a donation to a wildlife charity, Elephants Without Borders.
“The more you watch this, the more cringe-making it gets,” Morgan said.
“Especially when you know Harry missed a big Royal Marines (he’s their Captain General) memorial service to be at this Lion King premiere, hustling his wife’s voiceover skills to the boss of Disney.”
However, Prince Harry has had support from some of his fellow soldiers, amid reports that he had been struggling with his mental health.
David Wiseman, who helped Prince Harry found the Invictus Games for wounded soldiers, defended him today.
The ex-soldier, who was shot in Afghanistan, said Prince Harry deserved more respect.
“Prince Harry has served this country in & out of uniform,” he said on Twitter.
“Operated in AFG (Afghanistan) on the ground & in the air. Been a champion of the Armed Forces Community for many years. His work has supported thousands & inspired millions. Please remember this when commenting on duty. #PrinceHarry.”
James Glancy, a former captain in the Special Boat Service, said Prince Harry had lost the respect of some in the armed forces.
“He’s done two tours of Afghanistan. I was there for one of his tours … He’s done brilliant work in charity since he’s left the Armed Forces, especially with the Invictus Games, but his behaviour in the last year is not becoming of somebody that holds these important positions, these patronages, including that of the Captain General,’’ he said on a UK radio station.
“Everybody agrees that if he wants to leave these positions … he’s absolutely entitled to have another life, and he’s entitled to live overseas. But you can’t do this half and half. You’re either in or out,” he added.
The royal family has denied claims that they forced Prince Harry and Meghan out.
There has also been a storm over whether racist reporting prompted Meghan to feel unwelcome in the UK.
Home Secretary Priti Patel denied that there was racism towards Meghan in the Press.
“I’m not in that category at all where I believe there’s racism at all. I think we live in a great country, a great society, full of opportunity, where people of any background can get on in life,” she said BBC Radio 5 Live.
Ms Patel did not provide details when asked about the couple’s security arrangements when they moved to Canada.