Once upon a time, Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie shared not just a family bond but a deep, personal friendship. The cousins seemed inseparable, so much so that many fans often pointed out the resemblance between Eugenie’s and Harry’s children.
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Eugenie even knew Meghan before Harry did and was a regular presence in their early relationship. For a long time, she was considered one of Harry’s only remaining allies within the Royal Family.
But now, all that might have changed. A seemingly innocent lunch in Notting Hill, featuring none other than Piers Morgan, may have driven a wedge between them. Morgan, known for his fierce public criticism of the Sussexes, has clashed repeatedly with Meghan, which makes Eugenie’s appearance alongside him at the time especially surprising.
Now a source has claimed that this lunch changed the dynamic of Harry's relationship with his once-dear cousin.
Prince Harry pulls back after Eugenie’s outing with Piers Morgan
According to insider information published by The Sun, Prince Harry has been growing increasingly reclusive in California, reportedly keeping to himself and only rarely contacting his UK-based relatives. The situation may have been worsened by the recent revelation that the palace didn’t inform him of King Charles’ recent hospital visit.
However, there's more. The source also divulges that Prince Harry has not just distanced himself from The Firm, but also Princess Eugenie, once considered one of his strongest allies in the Royal Family.
The shift is said to have occurred after Eugenie was spotted leaving a pub lunch in Notting Hill with her sister Princess Beatrice and Piers Morgan in April 2023. The sighting raised eyebrows, given Morgan’s highly publicised history of criticism against Harry and Meghan.
A source told The Sun:
A dim view was taken of this, as Piers has clashed with Meghan and Harry in the past.
Eugenie has been supportive of Harry and Meghan for years and was right there at the beginning of their relationship — but it has now soured.
Despite the cheerful setting, the encounter may have been a tipping point for Harry. His relationship with Eugenie had previously been strong. She featured in the couple’s Netflix documentary and it was even said that when Prince Harry and Meghan purchased property in Portugal, it was to be close to the Princess' family.
Therefore, it is uncertain whether the insider information and swirling rumours really reflect the the true state of the relationship between Harry and his cousin, but the two have not been publicly spotted together in years. Could her meeting with Piers Morgan really have 'soured' everything? Here's why it would.
Piers and Meghan: From friendly drinks to fierce feud
The tension between Prince Harry and Piers Morgan is deeply tied to the latter’s public feud with Meghan Markle. According to Mirror, Morgan and Meghan met only once – but it was a meeting that left a lasting impression. Piers has long claimed that Meghan ghosted him after a single pub outing in London. He shared:
We had two hours in the pub, she had a couple of dirty martinis and pints - we got on brilliantly.
Morgan recounted that evening during an appearance on the Late Late Show, saying:
Then I put her in a cab, and it turns out it was the cab that took her to a party where she met Prince Harry. The next night they had a solo dinner and that was the last I ever heard from Meghan Markle.
Piers Morgan: Meghan Markle 'ghosted' me
After the supposed ghosting, Morgan’s public view of Meghan took a sharp turn. He began to brand her with terms such as 'narcissistic whiny brat' and 'grasping, selfish, scheming Kardashian wannabe'. His criticisms intensified after Meghan’s Oprah Winfrey interview, where she spoke about mental health struggles and issues of race within the Royal Family.
Morgan’s comments led to over 50,000 Ofcom complaints and his eventual resignation from Good Morning Britain. During one episode, co-host Alex Beresford called out Morgan, stating:
I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle. You've made it so clear a number of times on this programme.
I understand you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle or had one and she cut you off... she's entitled to cut you off if she wants to. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don't think she has, but yet you continue to trash her.
Morgan stormed off set in response and later exited the show permanently. More than 50,000 people signed a petition to bring back Morgan.
In interviews since, Morgan has remained unapologetic. He told the BBC:
Just for the record, I think he [Beresford] was a treacherous little p***k.
Despite the controversy, he has stood firm on his view of Meghan and has continued to criticise her actions.
Piers Morgan’s latest critique on Meghan Markle
Piers criticised Meghan sa recently as March 2025, this time over her comments about her surname.
In Meghan's new Netflix series With Love, Meghan, she corrected her friend Mindy Kaling for calling her 'Markle' by saying, 'You know I'm a Sussex now.'This minor remark didn’t go unnoticed.
On Piers Morgan Uncensored, the broadcaster hit back:
I come from Sussex, in England, it's a county on the south coast. It has several million people living in it. I can tell you, with some certainty, if you went around and chose 100,000 from villages and towns in Sussex, have you ever seen MeghanMarkle here in the county, you would not find a single person that has ever seen her there.
She has spent under six hours in the county in her entire lifetime... she’s not a Sussex, she’s a Windsor.
He further added:
You marry into the Windsor family. They got given this title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Her Majesty The Queen.
Morgan also took the opportunity to renew his stance that the Sussexes should be stripped of their royal titles, saying:
They’ve not renounced the Royal Family and attacked them [and] renounced the monarchy, they should have their titles stripped. [But] that's for King Charles to decide.
Read more:
Royal Family: As Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie step up, can they help Harry and William reconnect?
Meghan Markle on the Sussex name and how it's 'part of her love story' with Prince Harry
Sources used:
Daily Mail: 'Paranoid' Prince Harry has 'distanced himself' from close cousin and 'ally' Princess Eugenie after their 'relationship soured'
The Sun: Inside forlorn & isolated Harry’s life as ‘Spare’ to Meghan & how he only heard about King’s hospital visit on the NEWS
Hello!: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie enjoy lunch date with friends James Blunt and Piers Morgan
Mirror: When Piers Morgan met Meghan Markle - From infamous pub session to why she ghosted him
The Express: Piers Morgan blasts Meghan Markle over surname change and 'unwatchable' Netflix show
