Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in May 2018 and at the time they were highly popular as members of the Royal Family. Then, very quickly, things started going downhill and Prince Harry had to release a statement confronting the press about their ‘abuse and harassment’ of his wife.
Discover our latest podcast
Then in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan decided to step back as ‘senior members.’ They also announced that they would be splitting their time between North America and the United Kingdom. However, the move did not stop or even decrease media attention.
Every now again, the rumour that keeps reappearing is one that alleges their relationship has been strained and on the brink of divorce as a consequence of their big move.
Prince Harry and Meghan splitting up: Where are the rumours coming from?
In 2023, a rumour was going around concerning the state of the Sussexes' marriage and it was about their allegeddivorce.
While everyone was raving about the sweet pictures of the family on the 4th of July, just a couple weeks later, major publications started alleging that the couple is splitting.
On 18 July 2023, Radar Online wrote about how the couple is ‘taking time apart’ in order to ‘heal and rebuild their bond.’
They quoted an unnamed source that claimed the couple are no longer on the same wavelength and that Prince Harry needs to ‘find himself’ again as he ‘doesn’t fit Meghan’s tacky Tinseltown world.’
Before those rumours in July, there was another one in May 2023 about Prince Harry staying at a hotel instead than at their Montecito mansion. Of course, none of these rumours have ever been confirmed or commented on by the royals but that didn't stop the ball from rolling.
In 2024, the infamous royal commentator Tom Quinn added a bit of his own fuel to the fire. In July, he spoke exclusively to The Sun US and claimed the couple were struggling.
This has been such a challenging few months for Meghan and Harry and the pressure they are under is immense. They feel they are constantly under attack.
He adds that the constant professional setbacks have not been easy for them, especially with the backlash Prince Harry faced for his ESPY award nomination, and Meghan's Spotify deal being terminated. He said of Meghan:
She knows people want her to fail with her next project so there's quite a lot of tension in the house at the moment.
Because of all this pressure, he claims that there is a 'growing rift' between the couple.
There is a growing rift between Harry and Meghan caused by Meghan's increasing concern that her life is not going in the direction she had planned she loves media attention and hates the fact that surveys suggest she and Harry are no longer of much interest to the American public.
It remains unknown how Quinn found out such integral information about the couple, but one thing is certain. Any rumours of distance between the couple seem to arise around the same time they are facing stress and challenges in their professional work.
The pattern of these unfounded rumours
In 2023, it was announced that some of their business ventures were failures. In June 2023, their multi-milion deal with Spotify was cancelled and the couple was called ‘grifters’ by a Spotify executive. Moreover, their Netflix deal was also challenged.
More recently, Meghan Markle's launch of her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard also failed to create a hype. Could it be that these business struggles are fueling the divorce rumours? Absolutely.
To come back to tabloid Radar Online, the financial troubles the couple has been facing have been mentioned in their articles. Moreover, Page Six, shares words from an unnamed source that Radar Online:
That stress, coupled with their emotional issues, has likely made life a living hell
At the time, Page Six had also gotten in touch with a source that claims that the split rumours are 'not true' and 'made up.'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 'professional separation'
However, we inch closer towards the end of 2024, the rumours of a rift have been even more intense. Most are basing it on the fact that they are separating professional projects and hence are rarely seen together anymore.
Meghan once famously compared herself and Harry to ‘salt and pepper’ as they always move together, but that has not been the case in the second half of 2024. Meghan recently hosted a heartfelt event for Afghan refugee women through the Southern California Welcome Project in partnership with Archewell Foundation. Despite being hosted by Archewell, Harry was noticeably missing from the event.
The couple were last seen together in a video prioritizing children’s safety online in November.
Meanwhile, Harry has also been attending solo events. He has travelled across the globe, including trips to Africa and the UK earlier this year. In the coming week, he is set to attend another engagement in New York without his better half.
According to The Express, Harry will visit New York on December 4 at the New York Times DealBook Conference to speak at the event. Interestingly, Meghan will be attending the 2024 Paley Honors Fall Gala. The couples’ friend Tyler Perry will be awarded with The Paley Honors Award.
Will the Sussexes host Invictus Games together?
They may have been doing their own thing as of late, which clearly do not justify rumours of a split, but the two are expected to 'professionally reunite' early next year.
Prince Harry has been actively promoting the 2025 Invictus Winter Games, to be held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, and Meghan has shown great interest in Invictus Games since the couple’s dating phase. The Sussex couple are set to be co-hosts of the event which will take place from February 8 to February 16.
Not only are the couple going to attend the event together, Meghan also hinted at last year’s games that their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet may also be there.
Read more:
Fact-checking: Did King Charles really buy a $6 million condo in New York?
Prince Harry revealed he had 32 missed calls from home when Prince Philip died
Queen Elizabeth wanted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get ‘effective security,’ letter reveals
Sources:
Page Six: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sources deny rumors of trouble in paradise
Radar Online: Harry and Meghan TRIAL SEPARATION: 'Nasty Fights, Humiliation and Failure' Lead Prince to Pursue 'Peace' — Inside The Drama
Mirror: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 'growing rift as Duchess feels under siege'
Twitter aka X
NY Post: Meghan Markle releases statement after solo Thanksgiving appearance amid professional separation from Prince Harry
The Express: Royal Family LIVE: Prince Harry's next solo outing will clash with King's key royal event