Though it seemed like enormous news when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed they were returning to the UK, the pair touched down on 26 August with barely any fanfare. And a source tells Closer they’re rather unhappy about how Harry’s relatives have responded.
‘Harry genuinely didn’t expect the reception to be this frosty. He knew there would be tensions, especially with William, but he thought the significance of bringing Meghan and the children back to Britain would be recognised,’ says a source.
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‘Instead, it was all very muted. There was no fanfare or sense the family were particularly pleased to see them. It’s left both Harry and Meghan wondering what they’ve done. They’ve uprooted their lives and returned to a country where they feel as though they’re being kept at arm’s length. So far, it feels like it’s been a mistake.’
Following six years based in Montecito after 2020’s ‘Megxit’ – and even after criticising the royal family repeatedly – it was abruptly revealed on 19 August that the Sussexes would be relocating, along with children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. Sources have indicated the Duke and Duchess – thought to have picked the Cotswolds as their new base – will retain their position as non-working royals, since they weren’t given the ‘half in/half out’ arrangement they’d sought.
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It’s believed the King, 77 – who is battling cancer and only learned of the move four days before it became public – is delighted by the return of his youngest son and his family. Yet, perhaps naively, Harry and Meghan had wished to be greeted warmly by all – and we’re told this royal snub has left them seething.
‘They’ve been left with the distinct impression that they aren’t wanted here,’ says our insider. ‘Their arrival was met with tumbleweeds. They’d expected a slightly warmer welcome, especially as they were bringing Archie and Lilibet, but there was nothing. They weren’t expecting a big fanfare and a marching band, but some acknowledgement would have been nice. They think they deserve better.’
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The source goes on, ‘The Waleses have carried on with their own schedules and duties without openly recognising the Sussexes’ return. Charles has been in no hurry to visit, either, and Harry grows more worried about where he and Meghan belong within the royal picture. They’re starting to grasp that their previous missteps may have caused permanent harm and they fear they may have waited too long to make amends.
‘Harry and Meghan want their children to build close relationships with their cousins and the wider family. That was a major part of their decision to return to Britain. It doesn’t bode well if the royals still intend to keep their distance, but after everything that has happened, who can blame them?’
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Yet another major source of friction for Harry, 41, and his wife, 45, has been the matter of their UK state-funded security, which was reduced once they withdrew from public duties. The Sussexes had earlier lost a court case against the Home Office regarding their protection, but now that they’ve returned for ‘an extended period’, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) have been instructed to carry out a review of the dangers the Sussexes face.
Last month, Harry requested that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood personally decide whether his family will be granted automatic state-funded police protection. A dossier prepared by the Prince’s private security firm was also submitted to RAVEC. It allegedly outlines a minimum of six threats or plots involving the duke – a former soldier who served in Afghanistan – from extremists such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
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The source says, ‘The couple’s security arrangements have caused the greatest upset. RAVEC has agreed the Sussexes will only receive adequate security for official public appearances, which they still don’t think is sufficient. For the rest of their time, they have access to a police liaison officer, while Harry pays for an expensive private security team.
‘Meghan thinks this is an attempt by the establishment to keep her out of the spotlight. As far as she’s concerned, limiting protection makes it almost impossible for her to be seen publicly. Meghan is extremely anxious and is making her feelings known. Harry’s spending a fortune privately protecting the family, but she doesn’t believe that should be necessary. She feels exposed and suspects the situation is being used to sabotage their comeback.’
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Something else weighing on Meghan is being separated from her mother, Doria. The two share an incredibly tight bond, and Doria, 70, lived close to her daughter’s California residence. Our source goes on, ‘Meghan’s anxiety has been worsened by the absence of her mum, who has always been her rock. She’s doing everything she can to persuade Doria to visit, because she feels lonely and doesn’t know where to go from here.’
The insider adds that the Sussexes are still forging ahead with their fresh UK chapter. ‘Harry and Meghan seem determined to force their way back into the royal fold, welcome or not. They won’t give up,’ we’re told. ‘Despite the frosty reception, Harry has no intention of abandoning his plans to play a role in public life. He says that it’s his destiny, and something he has every right to pass on to Archie and Lilibet. He intends to pursue it.’
