King Charles 'keeps close eye' on Prince Harry, Meghan Markle amid PR crisis

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties and relocated to the US five years ago. But distance has not shielded them from palace scrutiny.

With Harry’s father King Charles III now on the throne, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain firmly on the monarchy’s radar, according to a report by OK! Magazine published December 26. The reason, insiders claim, is the couple’s growing alignment with Hollywood life, an image Charles is reportedly keen to move away from as he reshapes the modern monarchy.

A palace source told the outlet, “Even personal appearances in Hollywood are closely watched,” referring to Meghan’s new lifestyle show on Netflix, With Love, Meghan. “Every public move affects how trust and perception are shaped within the family.”

That attention has intensified this year as the Sussexes made a string of high-profile appearances. These included US late-night talk shows, magazine shoots, and a guest spot at Kris Jenner’s star-studded 70th birthday celebration, held last month at Jeff Bezos’ Beverly Hills mansion.

According to one insider, “Harry and Meghan know attending high-profile events could have consequences for their standing in the monarchy, and must have weighed up the pros and cons of attending Kris’ party before going.” 

Despite those concerns, and the fact that the event fell on the UK’s Remembrance Day weekend, the couple still attended.

Another source claimed the appearance proved pivotal. They said it effectively ended any chance of a Sussex invite to the Royal Family’s Sandringham Christmas this year, despite earlier signs of reconciliation following Harry’s long-awaited reunion with his father back in September.

“Charles wants Christmas to emphasise family and tradition,” the insider explained. “With his cancer treatment ongoing, this year it’s especially about calm and continuity, and showing the British public the royal family is about service and humility – despite their obvious wealth and privilege. Harry and Meghan’s very public Hollywood involvement doesn’t sit comfortably with that form of branding.”

Indeed, the 77-year-old monarch has even more reason to worry about the royal family’s image, given his younger brother Andrew’s unravelling connections to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.