Prince Harry, Meghan Markle caused queen stress in final years: author
Hugo Vickers, author of "Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History," details how the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs exit and Oprah interview added strain during the late monarch's final years.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are being accused of playing royals on their own terms — and sidestepping the late Queen Elizabeth II's wishes in the process.
On Oct. 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Nottingham for their first joint public appearance since returning to the U.K., Fox News Digital confirmed. The city holds special significance for the couple, as it was the first place they visited after announcing their engagement in November 2017.
Kinsey Schofield, host of the YouTube show "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital that, based on her sources, "there is frustration" inside Buckingham Palace as Harry and Meghan prepare to visit several charities in a manner resembling an official royal engagement.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a visit with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary on Dec. 1, 2017 in Nottingham, England. The couple returned to the city on Oct. 15, 2026. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
"Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the royal family," Schofield said. "King Charles recently reminded his government that the Sussexes are private citizens. The Sussexes appear increasingly determined to recreate the optics of royal life without the responsibilities that come with it. … The charitable visits, the appearances, the photographers. It’s royal theatre without royal authority."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex at Himmah Hub, which provides meals and a welcoming space for people experiencing financial hardship or isolation, during a visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. (Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images)
"Royal engagements aren't just photo-ops," Schofield said. "There's diplomacy involved. There's soft power. Working royals represent the sovereign, strengthen relationships and serve the interests of the country. Harry and Meghan appear more interested in faking the image of royalty than embracing its purpose. They can imitate the engagement, but they can't replicate the authority or constitutional significance."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gesture during a visit to Nottingham Academy in Nottingham, central England, on Dec. 1, 2017. (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
"They are pushing to reclaim the spotlight they left behind," British broadcaster Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "It's definitely a reboot — a pseudo royal reboot."
WATCH: PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE CAUSED QUEEN STRESS IN FINAL YEARS: AUTHOR
In January 2020, Queen Elizabeth II drew a firm line at the Sandringham Summit: There would be no "half in, half out" role for the Sussexes. They couldn't remain working members of the royal family while pursuing independent, income-generating ventures. The couple stepped back from royal duties that year, citing intrusive coverage by the British press and a lack of support from the palace.
From left: Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, watch a flypast marking the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London on July 10, 2018. (Getty Images)
"Following conversations with the duke, the queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service," Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Feb. 19, 2021.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex during a visit to Himmah Hub during their visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. (Annabel Lee-Ellis - Pool/Getty Images)
In response, the couple issued a statement of their own, saying: "We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the U.K. six years after leaving for California. (Getty Images)
In Nottingham, the couple focused on charitable work. They visited a food bank, where Meghan reconnected with some of the women she supported at the Hubb Community Kitchen in London. As a working royal, Meghan helped produce "Together: Our Community Cookbook," which featured recipes from women associated with the kitchen.
Prince Harry is seen here during a visit to Himmah Hub on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. ( Annabel Lee-Ellis - Pool/Getty Images)
They also visited the Community Recording Studio, which helps young people affected by violence, and spent time at Epic Partners, which supports young people through mentoring and sports.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the Hubb Community Kitchen in London on Nov. 21, 2018, to celebrate the success of their cookbook. The kitchen was set up by women affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, and the duchess wrote a foreword to the cookbook to help raise funds for the victims. (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Although Harry and Meghan are free to support charities as private citizens, their visits are not official royal engagements, as they no longer represent the monarch. However, royal commentators argue that the couple's public appearances risk blurring that distinction.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives for a visit to the Community Recording Studio in St. Anns on Sept. 9, 2025, in Nottingham, England. (Getty Images)
"The Sussexes have not been given permission to behave like working royals, and yet they seem to have gone ahead with their own plans to recapture the spotlight in the U.K.," Christopher Andersen, author of "Kate!," told Fox News Digital. "These are worthy causes that the couple was supporting previously, so that obviously takes some of the sting out of it."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, England, on Dec. 1, 2017. (Getty Images)
Several royal experts told Fox News Digital that the couple's public appearances put King Charles in an increasingly uncomfortable position. While Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals, their titles, global profile and carefully choreographed public appearances can still look strikingly similar to official royal duties, even though they do not carry the authority of the crown. This, they argued, leaves the monarch to decide how firmly to enforce the boundary his late mother drew.
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"Kate!: The Courage, Grace, and Power of the Woman Who Will Be Queen" by Christopher Andersen is available now. (Gallery Books)
"King Charles faces a severe problem because Harry and Meghan appear determined to ignore the late queen's instructions," Schofield said.
King Charles III meets guests during a reception to celebrate the Commonwealth Diaspora ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda at St. James's Palace in London on Oct. 14, 2026. (Getty Images)
"They’ve retained their titles and international recognition, allowing them to stage appearances that resemble official engagements, despite no longer representing the crown. The king has demonstrated throughout his life that he can be decisive when protecting his interests and the institution. The question is whether he’s prepared to demonstrate that same strength when it comes to his youngest son."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Himmah Hub during their visit to Nottingham on Oct.15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. ( Annabel Lee-Ellis - Pool/Getty Images)
"Queen Elizabeth was unequivocal," Schofield said. "You can't be half in, half out. If Harry and Meghan are determined to recreate that arrangement through the back door, Charles may eventually have to remind them why the front door was closed."
Queen Elizabeth II, England's longest-reigning monarch, died in 2022. She was 96. (Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Andersen noted that the king is "weary of having to deal with all this drama" and of being "a sort of referee between his sons." However, Andersen said, the king may ultimately have little choice but to act if the Sussexes continue to blur the line between private citizens and working royals.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, sits in the stands during the Gallagher PREM 2026/2027 match between Leicester Tigers and Gloucester Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium on Oct. 9, 2026, in Leicester, England. (Getty Images)
"Anything that looks like an official royal engagement will definitely be interpreted as defying the monarch’s wishes, pure and simple," Andersen warned. "The queen’s decree was that members of the royal family are either all in or all out. And the king is determined to fulfill his mother’s wishes."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit Epic Partners during their visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. ( Joe Giddens - Pool/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Archewell for comment.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the Hubb Community Kitchen to see how funds raised by the 'Together: Our Community' Cookbook are making a difference at Al Manaar in North Kensington, London, England, on Nov. 21, 2018. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
A source told People magazine that the Sussexes are "both excited to focus more on their work and the projects that matter to them."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, poses for a selfie with well-wishers after a visit to Community Recording Studio in Nottingham, central England, on Sept. 9, 2025. (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The outlet reported that while the Sussexes reunited with King Charles and Queen Camilla in July, they are not believed to have seen the king in person since moving back to Britain. According to People, Harry and his father have remained in contact by phone. Harry and his older brother, Prince William, reportedly haven't spoken in years. A palace insider told the outlet that the rift between the brothers has only been "magnified" by Harry's return to the U.K.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit Epic Partners during their visit to Nottingham on Oct. 15, 2026, in Nottingham, England. (Joe Giddens - Pool/Getty Images)
Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that, as private citizens, Harry and Meghan have the freedom to pursue their own projects without requiring the blessing of the king or the Prince of Wales.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, attends Earthshot's "Cricket On The Mall" on Oct. 13, 2026, in London. (Getty Images)
"There are suspicions that Harry and Meghan are trying to create an alternative royal family," he said. "Their first joint event together has raised eyebrows in some royal circles. But as they are now private citizens, 'The Firm' have very little, if any, power over them. This, in some ways, could be a blessing for Harry and Meghan and a curse for those in royal circles."
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Meghan Markle visits Nottingham Contemporary on Dec. 1, 2017, in Nottingham, England. The visit came shortly after she and Prince Harry announced their engagement on Nov. 27, 2017. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Schofield said the Sussexes can't control how the palace will react, particularly if people within the palace believe the couple's plans disrespect the late queen.
"What should concern the king is the growing frustration among royal supporters who want to see him take a more assertive approach towards his youngest son and daughter-in-law," Schofield said.
Britain's King Charles III reacts to the heat during a visit to the humid climate of the "Giants of the Galapagos" enclosure at ZSL London Zoo to celebrate the zoo's 200th anniversary in central London on July 9, 2026. (Richard Pohle / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
"King Charles may believe that silence is the most dignified response, but there comes a point when restraint risks being mistaken for weakness. The monarchy doesn’t need to compete with Harry and Meghan for publicity, but it does need to protect the integrity of royal service and the distinction between working royals and private citizens."
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King Charles III inspects the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, at the gates of Balmoral, on Aug. 18, 2026. (PA Images via Getty Images)
"After years of telling the world how miserable royal life made them, they’re desperately returning to the very formula they abandoned," Schofield reflected. "Hollywood was supposed to offer them something bigger and better. Instead, they appear to be discovering that the royal connection was their greatest asset all along."
