Adjusting to life within the Royal Family has never been easy, especially for outsiders marrying into the institution. Queen Camilla, for example, endured years of scrutiny for her role in the breakdown of King Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage. She eventually won broader acceptance with Charles’ support.
According to royal author Tina Brown, Prince Harry could have played a similar role in helping Meghan Markle adapt to palace culture, but chose not to. In her book Palace Papers, Brown wrote, “So why didn’t Harry help navigate Palace culture for his future? He did not want to.”
Brown claimed that aides within the palace viewed Harry and Meghan’s approach as confrontational, even describing it as a shared “addiction to drama.” The observations have resurfaced alongside reports detailing efforts by senior royals to resolve tensions between Meghan and her father, Thomas Markle.
According to Tom Bower’s 2022 book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles sought to end Thomas Markle’s frequent public criticism of the Royal Family.
Bower wrote that the late Queen and Charles advised Meghan to visit her father in Mexico in hopes of repairing their relationship and stopping his media appearances. Meghan, however, reportedly refused, citing her estrangement from him that dated back many years.
The ongoing interviews by Thomas Markle frustrated the monarchy, Bower noted. “Can’t she just go and see him and make this stop?” Charles reportedly said.
The Queen shared similar concerns and is said to have joined Charles in a conference call with Harry and Meghan to discuss the matter. According to Bower, both senior royals felt that Meghan alone had the ability to resolve the situation with her father, but was unwilling to do so.
Brown’s claims, combined with Bower’s accounts, add further perspective to the ongoing debate about Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties in 2020. Critics argue Harry could have helped his wife better adjust to the traditions and expectations of royal life, while supporters maintain the institution failed to embrace her from the beginning.
The couple, who now live in California, remain estranged from much of the Royal Family. Reports of strained relations with both Charles and Prince William continue, fueled by public statements and memoirs that have kept tensions in the spotlight.
For many royal watchers, the accounts highlight not only the challenges Meghan faced but also the missed opportunities for Harry to act as a bridge between his wife and the institution he left behind.