Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been at the center of controversy since stepping down as senior royals in 2020.
Although they’re relocated to California, away from royal duties and media scrutiny, the couple remains in the spotlight.
The public rift was first illuminated during Prince Harry and Markle’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Among their claims was the bombshell revelation that there had been conversations within the royal family about the potential skin color of their first child.
Although Prince Harry later clarified that Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Philip did not make the remarks, the couple has refrained from naming the individual responsible.
He also expressed disappointment during the interview, saying that the royal family never addressed the ‘colonial undertones’ of media coverage about Markle.
He lamented that while numerous female MPs had spoken out against the biased treatment, his family remained silent.
This silence, he said, ‘hurt.’ The couple further criticized the UK media, describing it as ‘bigoted’ and responsible for a toxic environment of ‘control and fear,’ per the BBC.
Even before stepping back from royal duties, Prince Harry had publicly condemned the press for its treatment of Markle.
In November 2016, shortly after their relationship became public, Kensington Palace released a statement on his behalf.
The statement condemned the racial undertones in media commentary and the harassment Markle faced, including invasions of privacy and inappropriate attempts to dig into her past.
Prince Harry expressed concern for Markle’s safety and his frustration at being unable to protect her, stating: “This is not a game – it is her life and his.”
In his memoir Spare, he revealed that this statement reportedly angered King Charles and Prince William, as they felt it portrayed them in a negative light for not defending their own spouses in a similar manner.
According to Newsweek, the link to this statement was active as of December 3, 2023, but had been removed by December 10. The reasons for its removal remain unclear.
Adding another layer to the complex family dynamics is King Charles’s reported nickname for Markle, which has now come to light.
This nickname, which reflected a positive view of her fortitude, was reportedly coined during a time when Charles seemed supportive of her.
In the couple’s Netflix documentary, Markle recounted a touching moment when Charles walked her down the aisle at her wedding after her estranged father could not attend.
She described him as ‘very charming’ and shared how significant it was for her to have him fill that role on her special day.
However, the relationship between Markle and the royal family has since deteriorated.
Reports suggest that Prince Harry, following Charles’s recent cancer diagnosis, is attempting to rebuild his connection with his father.
While Prince Harry reportedly wishes to bring his children, Archie and Lilibet, to visit Charles, Markle is said to feel apprehensive about returning to the UK due to past tensions.
But in the past, according to royal author Katie Nicholl, per the Mirror, Charles referred to Markle as ‘Tungsten,’ a term symbolizing strength and resilience, during her early days in the royal family.
