Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot in 2018 at Windsor Castle. Markle being a mixed-race American certainly turned heads and there was widespread optimism about the Royal Family, a conventional institution embracing diversity and change.
However, what started on a positive note soon became problematic ending in the couple moving to North America and stepping down from the royal frontline, reported AFP.
Also Read: Meghan Markle: The outsider who redefined British royalty
After just five months of the unorthodox wedding, the couple’s media advisor made an official complaint against Markle saying that the former “Suits” actor has driven out two personal assistants and undermined the confidence of a third assistant
The complaint, however, was not made public, reported AFP.
The media advisor was shared with brother William and his wife Kate and stepped down but went back to work for William and Kate in 2019. Talk of a rift between both the couples intensifies.
Also Read: Points of contention between Meghan Markle and Buckingham Palace
Prince Harry had admitted during a royal African tour in 2019 that he and brother William were on “different paths” and didn’t see much of each other.
Prince Harry later accused the British tabloids of waging a “ruthless campaign” against wife Meghan Markle when a string of negative stories were floated against her.
Meghan later sued Daily Mail after they published a private letter she had written for her estranged father Thomas Markle and won the case, AFP reported.
The rumours about rifts increased and Prince Harry and Meghan said they won’t be spending Christmas 2019 with the Royal Family and went to Canada instead.
In 2020, the Duke and Duchess announced that they are stepping back from their royal titles and vow to become financially independent. The media called this the “Megxit”. The couple said they would be splitting their time between North America and Britain.
Prince Harry was then summoned by the Queen to talk about his decision of stepping back from the royal family at her Sandringham estate in eastern England. She later sanctioned him and referred to the duo as “Harry and Meghan” contrary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they were officially called.
The couple’s stipend from the public fund and their royal titles were dropped by the palace. They were also asked to repay $3.1 million that was spent on renovating their cottage at Windsor Castle, reported AFP.
After the couple confirmed their departure as working royals, the Queen ordered the couple to renounce their honorary titles and patronages.
After moving to the United States, the couple filed multiple invasion of privacy cases against UK news outlets.
Harry said he is worried about “history repeating itself”, blaming the “toxic” British press commonly held responsible for his mother Diana’s tragic death.
The Palace recently announced that they would be launching an enquiry into complaints made against Meghan.
The couple will soon be appearing in a much-anticipated interview with Oprah Winfrey talking all about their lives and problems they faced as royals and beyond.
Meghan, who is pregnant with her second child has said that the media is trying to “peddle a wholly false narrative” before the release of the interview.