Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the royal family will be a ‘positive’ for the monarch
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s exit from the royal family will be a “positive” for the monarchy in the long-term, a royal expert claims.
Entertainment
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The decision by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to step down as senior working royals in 2020 could be a “positive for monarchy long-term”, a royal expert claims.
Speaking on the latest episode of Royally Us, royal historian and author, Gareth Russell discussed the Sussexes’ exit and the impact it could have on the future monarchy.
In his book set to be released later this year, ‘Do Let’s Have Another Drink: The Dry Wit and Fizzy Life of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’, Mr Russell said the couple’s exit will be “positive” for the monarchy in the long-term.
“What it will be for the individual royals, that could be a different thing to see where it goes,” he said.
“I’m, sort of, mildly sentimental, I prefer to see families getting on.
“So fingers crossed, that this resolves itself, in a good way.”
However, despite the tensions, the Queen has reportedly invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Balmoral this summer, in an attempt to mend relations.
The offer would seemingly allow the pair to avoid senior royals.
Her Majesty, 96, arrived in the Highlands last week and is set to stay for ten weeks at seven-bed Craigowan Lodge.
“Staff have been told to expect the full list of royals including Harry, Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet,” a Balmoral insider said.
“They are preparing for the Sussexes.”
Another insider said: “Balmoral is the perfect place for them to spend a little bit of quality time with the Queen.
“They barely had 15 minutes with her at the jubilee.”
However, some sources believe the couple will reject the Queen’s invite.
“I would be stunned if they did turn up,” one source told the Sun.
HOW MEGHAN CAST ‘SPELL’ OVER HARRY ON FIRST DATE
A new bombshell book has accused Meghan Markle of “casting a spell” over Prince Harry on their first date while still living with her then-boyfriend, chef Corey Vitiello.
Meghan – who was acting on the US Network drama “Suits” at the time in 2016 – put into action a plan to befriend a group of well-connected Brits.
In his explosive book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, Tom Bower claims among them were Harry’s childhood friend Violet von Westenholz, who was working as a publicist for Ralph Lauren.
Meghan had been hired to wear the designer’s clothing during the Wimbledon tennis tournament in the summer of 2016.
In a conversation with Ms Westenholz at Wimbledon, Bower writes that Meghan persuaded her to set her up on a blind date with the prince.
“Her problems were familiar to all unknown, unmarried actors in their mid-thirties – fear of loneliness and personal and financial insecurity,” Bower writes.
“Unsurprisingly, Meghan was preoccupied by her own financial security – and finding a husband.”
But the book claims that before agreeing to the set-up, Ms von Westenholz – whose father is an interior decorator and friend of Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla – sent Harry photos of the dark-haired actress.
And despite Meghan’s two-year romance with Vitiello, a Toronto-based chef, was in its last throes when she met Harry, Bower writes that the couple still shared a home together.
The book also claims that, two weeks after their first date on July 1, 2016, “Harry secretly flew to Toronto”.
“He stayed for about one week in the house of a friend of Meghan’s, probably Jessica Mulroney,” Bower writes.
“With Cory still sharing [Meghan’s] home, the situation for Meghan was tricky but manageable.
“At the end of the week, after he returned to London, Meghan was convinced that her spell was cast and the relationship with Harry would be sealed. She told Cory that their affair was over.”
According to the book, Vitiello “was relieved. The final months had been unpleasant.”
Sharon Osbourne also weighed in on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s, saying the pair are “floundering and totally lost” following their move to America.
Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the 69-year-old said the couple “found their path yet” when it comes to carving out their own careers after stepping down from the royal family.
“I think they’re lost and I think that they’re trying to find their place in the world – I think they’re totally lost,” she said.
“I mean, one minute they’re making a cartoon and then they’re making a documentary on them and then they’re saving the world.
“They just haven’t found their path in life yet, I really believe that. They’re lost, they’re floundering.”
“I just don’t – I haven’t from day one been into the fact that talking about private things that went on in the Royal Family when they were a part of it.”
However, Osbourne agreed that the couple should be able to have their own opinion on subjects, although she would like to “hear the other side of the story” in some circumstances.
“And the thing is it’s just their point of view, we haven’t had the other point of view,” she said.
“And it’s like don’t bring it to the public, no one wants to know about it, every family has problems, keep it to yourself.”
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