Meghan Markle trying to “reconcile” with Kate Middleton
Eve Batey
London: Is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s widely-publicized departure from royal life over? Recent headlines suggest it soon might be, with unnamed sources telling one UK publication that Markle is attempting to mend fences with her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
Another publication, this one based in the US, claims that Harry is willing to return to work as the Duke of Sussex. All his father, King Charles III, has to do is ask.
The news comes as the couple winds up a trip to Canada for an Invictus Games One Year to Go training event, a jaunt they took a day after launching a new website and announcing that Markle’s canceled podcast, Archetypes, would return under the umbrella of a new production studio.
That big news week continued, when a source close to the Sussexes told Page Six that Harry is open to returning to the royal duties that Meghan and he officially left nearly three years ago to the day. Harry, who told Good Morning America “I love my family” during an interview on Friday, “would try” to resume his official obligations “if his dad asks for his help.”
“I don’t think it’s something that Harry would ask [to do] on his own,” the source said.
The couple first eased into a break from the cycle of public appearances and events expected of the King’s immediate family in January of 2020, announcing on Instagram that they intended to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent.” The queen followed that post with a statement that said that the royal family is “supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” though “we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family.”
It took over a year for that break to become Buckingham Palace official, however: It wasn’t until February 19, 2021, that it made the official announcement that “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.”
“In stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” the statement read. “The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.”
Though Meghan and Harry have briefly interacted with the royal family in the years hence—for example, at the queen’s funeral in 2022—some speculate that Harry’s quick trip to see Charles this month, a visit seemingly spurred by the king’s cancer diagnosis, might have paved the way for the couple to return to the fold.
Meanwhile, an unnamed source tells OK! that “Meghan has contacted Kate and Charles,” and that “moves are being made to reconcile.” Interestingly enough, a source who spoke with Us Weekly used those same words, in an article that quoted yet another unnamed source as saying, “Kate is open to reconciling, though with Harry more so than Meghan.”
Middleton, who journalist Omid Scobie says will “jokingly shiver” when Markle’s name comes up, “still has some hurt feelings over what Meghan did,” that source says.
“Kate would be open to making nice if William wanted to, but she won’t meddle,” another source told the publication. “She has faith that the situation will resolve itself in time.”
