All The Times Harry & Meghan Have Been Snubbed Since The Queen's Death
On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle. For many, this was the moment that indelibly changed the dynamics of the British royal family. However, in reality, a rift had already been growing among the monarch's descendants. This was especially obvious in the days leading up to Her Majesty's death. According to Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare," his father, King Charles III, specifically forbade Meghan Markle from going to Balmoral to say her goodbyes to the queen. As Harry recalled, "He started to explain his reasons, but they didn't make any sense at all, and it was disrespectful as well."
While Charles' decision might have been somewhat controversial, certain sources argued that the king excluded Meghan for the sake of propriety. As one anonymous insider told The Sun, "Charles told Harry that it wasn't right or appropriate for Meghan to be in Balmoral at such a deeply sad time." On top of that, the royal family likely already knew that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were working on a book and a Netflix series. Speaking to The Telegraph, a separate source pointed out, "It's quite hard to spend too much time with someone you know is about to publish a tell-all book about you."
Regardless of the reason why Meghan was excluded, one thing remains clear — both she and Harry were on the outs. And, after the queen died, they were repeatedly snubbed by senior royals who wanted to expel the Sussexes from their inner circle.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got the cold shoulder at the queen's funeral
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new status within the royal family was apparent at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. During this event, the couple was repeatedly snubbed both socially and symbolically. Throughout the proceedings, senior royals appeared to ice Meghan out. As psychotherapist and human behavior specialist Dr. Robi Ludwig told Fox News, there was a visible separation between the duchess and the rest of The Firm. What's more, Meghan was out of her depth among more established royals, like the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Ludwig explained how Meghan was "closed off to her environment and trying to comfort herself at the same time. I don't think this is what she anticipated. Meghan Markle did not consider the cause and effect of her actions and how this could come to harm her." Naturally, though, the Duchess of Sussex was not the only one to receive the cold shoulder at the funeral.
According to Page Six, Harry was also treated as something of a persona non grata. For one thing, he was reportedly denied the right to don his military uniform at the event. Likewise, the Sussexes were seated in a second-rate position during the religious part of the ceremony. Indeed, they were told to sit beside Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, in the pew behind the disgraced Prince Andrew.
The Sussexes were kicked out of their royal residence
As time went on, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship with the rest of the royal family only went further downhill. In December 2022, they made waves by releasing the Netflix docu-series, "Harry & Meghan," which included several bombshell accusations about The Firm. To make matters worse, the series was quickly followed by the publication of Harry's "Spare" just a few weeks later. For the royals, these projects represented an egregious departure from Queen Elizabeth II's beloved mantra: "Never complain, never explain."
Perhaps, then, as a punishment for speaking out against The Fim, Meghan and Harry were promptly asked to vacate their royal residence at Frogmore Cottage. What's more, The Sun reported that the house was offered to Prince Andrew, who disgraced the family following his sexual abuse lawsuit. As one commentator put it, "This eviction surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan's time in the UK." However, they also revealed, "Andrew is resisting the idea of moving into Frogmore Cottage after he was offered it last week. But it shows Harry and Meghan are powerless to stop the eviction."
Ultimately, though, this massive snub might not have impacted the couple too much. An insider informed Page Six that Meghan and Harry "seemed to be in extremely good spirits" at the time.
King Charles held his coronation on Archie's birthday
Leading up to King Charles III's coronation, there was a lot of discussion about whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend the grand event. Ultimately, the couple was invited to watch the proceedings, but they were somehow still snubbed all the same. Notably, the royal family decided to hold the coronation ceremony on Prince Archie's fourth birthday — a move which made it difficult for the Sussexes to justify a trip all the way from California to England.
Initially, insiders speculated that the couple had tried to address this awkward coincidence with the rest of the royal family, with one telling OK! magazine: "Archie's birthday falls on May 6th, coronation day and the Sussexes want the family to recognize that. The Sussexes have asked for some kind of celebration or acknowledgment to be factored into the day's plans to ensure that his fourth birthday won't get lost during the momentous day."
In the end, it remains unclear whether or not Charles responded to this alleged request. However, we do know that this sort of public recognition never took place. Instead, on the actual day of the coronation, Harry attended the proceedings by himself. He then quickly flew back home to celebrate his son's birthday. At the time, a source told People, "It's going to be a low-key party at home. They'll have friends around them and Meghan's mom."
They were not invited to Trooping the Colour
Following the coronation debacle, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were invited to fewer and fewer royal events. The couple was reportedly excluded from the 2023 Trooping the Colour — a symbolic birthday celebration meant to honor the current ruler. Evidently, this was a major snub. As royal expert Christopher Andersen informed Fox News, "[B]y not even inviting the Sussexes to attend one of the most important events on the royal calendar — and, in this case, particularly important because it is to salute the new monarch — Charles has once again made it clear that he is not particularly eager to mend fences with his younger son."
Interestingly, the Sussexes were not the only royals excluded from the festivities. Prince Andrew was also reportedly unwelcome. According to Andersen, this choice could have been Charles' way of honoring the people who have displayed the most loyalty to the crown: "King Charles will surround himself with those people he feels he can trust and rely on to do the heavy lifting."
Of course, there might have been another reason why Meghan and Harry did not receive a Trooping the Colour invitation. In the past, Meghan was said to have broken protocol by wearing inappropriate attire to the event. Indeed, back in 2018, the duchess was heavily criticized for wearing an off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress. Traditionally, royals are expected to dress more modestly at such engagements.
Meghan and Harry were excluded from Queen Elizabeth's memorial
It has been reported that the British royal family will head to Balmoral Castle on September 8, 2023, to mark the one-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's passing. And even though Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be in Europe around the time of the commemoration, it is generally assumed that they won't be included in the gathering. In fact, one royal insider claimed to The Sun in early August that nobody had reached out to the couple regarding the memorial.
A separate source echoed this when speaking to Page Six, stating that Harry and Meghan "haven't received any information or invitation to plans marking the anniversary of her death." Of course, it is important to keep in mind that any sort of Balmoral gathering would not be considered an official royal event. Unlike larger commemorations like Trooping the Colour, for instance, this meeting is little more than a chance for close family members to mourn together.
Thus, given the tension between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals, it might not necessarily make sense for them to be present at the Scottish castle. Instead, it's understood that Meghan and Harry will mourn the loss of the beloved monarch on their own terms. As a source confirmed, "They will of course acknowledge and pay their respects to Her Majesty in their own way." Buckingham Palace, meanwhile, claimed there was nothing planned (via Harper's Bazaar).