Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit hurt the monarchy: author
Catherine Mayer, author of "Divide & Rule," explains why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from royal life dealt a lasting blow to the monarchy and its connection with younger audiences.
As Meghan Markle celebrates her 45th birthday, one royal author argues the Duchess of Sussex's exit from royal life caused "very serious damage" to the monarchy.
"I believe that the rupture in the family that saw Meghan and Harry go to the United States has done very serious damage to the monarchy," Catherine Mayer, who penned "Divide & Rule," told Fox News Digital.
"But to say that is not to say that I blame them for what happened," she said. "It's often taken as a criticism: 'Look what they've done to the monarchy.' I think this has been very painful for everybody and for the institution, but you need only look at the latest polling on the popularity of the monarchy to see that it is losing ground."
PRINCE HARRY LONGS FOR HIS OLD ROYAL LIFE AS AMERICA ISN'T WHAT HE EXPECTED, EXPERTS SAY
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2025, in New York City. The "Suits" alum's birthday is Aug. 4. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing intrusive British media coverage and a lack of support from the palace. After moving to California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," further strained his relationship with the family.
In July, the former American actress had planned to accompany her husband during several engagements on his return to the U.K. However, security concerns prevented Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, from making the full trip.
"Divide & Rule" by Catherine Mayer is out now. (HQ)
While the Sussexes had a private meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla on July 10, marking the first time since 2022 that Meghan had returned to England, she didn't make any public appearances.
WATCH: PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE'S EXIT HURT THE MONARCHY: AUTHOR
The couple lost their taxpayer-funded security when they stepped down as working royals. The Duke of Sussex has long sought to have it reinstated, citing concerns for his family's safety.
Mayer argued that, according to U.K. polls, the royal family has lost popularity primarily due to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his princely title following his controversial relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, she believes that "undoubtedly," the Sussexes had an ability to connect with younger populations in a way that’s "not really there with the rest of the family."
Office workers in London watch the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's "Harry & Meghan" docuseries on Netflix on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. (Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images)
"The only ones who can potentially do it are Kate and William, and they're more of a small 'c' conservative in their approach," said Mayer, referring to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave after escorting Queen Elizabeth II's coffin to Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace for her lying in state on Sept. 14, 2022, in London. (Emilio Morenatti - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
"They're young, but they're in their 40s," she said. "Their children are really young. And there's nobody in between George and his parents, William and Kate, to capture the imagination of younger audiences. Harry and Meghan are basically the same age, but they had this appeal, a much broader appeal, and that's been lost now."
Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner echoed that view, noting that family divisions remain unresolved despite recent signs of reconciliation.
Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle pose during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace in London, England, on Nov. 27, 2017. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
"I feel there are major cracks in the royal family over Meghan and Harry, especially between King Charles and Prince William, who I believe are at loggerheads over the couple, culminating in the recent private meeting at Highgrove, leaving William blindsided about the meeting. Now, with Harry able to use Buckingham Palace again when he returns, it could be a breakthrough for Meghan and a heart-piercing wound for William."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, meets volunteer first responders from Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club during a visit to Bondi Beach on Day 4 of the royal trip to Australia on April 17, 2026, in Sydney. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
While Meghan's relationship with King Charles reportedly softened following their private family reunion this summer, multiple reports continue to describe her ties with William and Kate as distant, with little evidence the broader royal rift has fully healed.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle take photographs with patients while visiting The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne on April 14, 2026. (Joe Armao/The Age via Getty Images)
"In my book, I also examine the bullying allegations made against Meghan," said Mayer. "One of the problems was that they surfaced at exactly the time of the 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview. I think that made a lot of people suspect this was done to undercut anything Meghan might say in the interview. I'd actually been hearing about friction in the palace for a very long time before the story surfaced. As I explain in the book, that doesn't necessarily mean we're talking about bullying, but we're definitely talking about real friction there."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in London on March 5, 2020. Soon after, they moved to California. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
"We're talking about people who were very bruised by the experience, which includes her as well," Mayer continued. "But the fact is, there were real frictions between the brothers, William and Harry, as well as between the women and within the palace system. I don't think Meghan really understood that the monarchy will always give preference to the monarch and the immediate heir. And its members get very nervous when somebody feels bigger and more glamorous than the institution."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex launches the Smart Works capsule collection on Sept. 12, 2019, in London, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"The last thing they wanted to do was make her into some big star," Mayer added.
Turner noted that Meghan hasn't been the only one to experience struggles with "The Firm."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrives for The Paley Center for Media gala honoring actor and director Tyler Perry at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Dec. 4, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
"Outsiders are accepted, provided they do not become more powerful or overshadow family members," he said. "In my time, Charles used to hate being overshadowed by Princess Diana at walkabouts. I believe this was part of the reason for the breakup. I feel palace employees and members of the royal family could see Meghan's charm was making her into another Diana in waiting."
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, leave St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018. (Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Still, British royal expert Hilary Fordwich said mistakes made by the Sussexes cannot be overlooked and have contributed to their estrangement from the royal family.
"Harry and Meghan didn't just make a silly mistake," Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "They have undertaken a fundamentally damaging, deliberate strategy to undermine the royals, which is unforgivable. The Firm was most welcoming to her, bent the rules for her, made exceptions for her, but she thwarted it all. She didn't want to either learn or accept advice. King Charles and Prince William now have a narrower, more disciplined monarchy as a result."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive to attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9, 2020. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
"Yes, things could have been very different if Meghan had been dedicated to duty and not to herself and her own aggrandizement," said Fordwich.
Meghan Markle is seen here being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on March 8, 2021. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard also told Fox News Digital that the secret to being a successful member of the British royal family is to adapt quickly.
"The House of Windsor may appear rigid, but it has run like clockwork and survived through history," said Chard. "The one thing people marrying into The Firm have to learn is to adapt. Both Princess Catherine and Meghan came in as outsiders. But one chose to learn the institution. The system is tough, but the system also gave Meghan support. The system can't save someone who won't play ball. The institution expects sacrifice before platform."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends an Invictus Games Friends and Family reception hosted by the City of The Hague and the Dutch Ministry of Defence at Zuiderpark on April 15, 2022, in The Hague, Netherlands. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"Harry himself also talked about leaving royal life for years. Meghan gave him that push. Better handling could have delayed it, but I don't think it would have prevented it."
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, leave a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on June 3, 2022, during Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking the monarch's 70 years of service. (Matt Dunham - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Mayer pointed out that Meghan was facing an uphill battle from the very beginning.
"When I was writing this book, I really did go back and challenge my own assumptions about whether Meghan could have ever made a go of it," said Mayer. "And I concluded that it was highly unlikely, and not her fault — or certainly not entirely her fault. One of the things people always say to me is, 'Of course she Googled Harry before they started dating. Of course, she knew about it.'"
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 4, 2025, in Paris, France. (Getty Images for Balenciaga)
"I've been covering the monarchy for a very long time. I'm also the biographer of Charles, the man who is now King. I've spent a lot of time behind the scenes. Even after all the time I've spent there, I'm still surprised by the strangeness of the culture and how unlike any other culture it is."
From left: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William and Princess Catherine watch a Royal Air Force flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018, in London. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Mayer also recalled when Meghan received criticism for mimicking how she curtsied to the late Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan." However, audiences missed the point, she said.
"How weird it is to have a family where, even in private, you not only curtsy to the monarch, but you also follow an order of precedence," said Mayer. "How would anybody be prepared for that? The monarchy is essentially a medieval institution with some modern features grafted onto it."
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the 2026 Fifteen Percent Pledge Fundraising Gala at Paramount Studios on Feb. 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Chard said "the damage has been done" following Meghan and Harry's departure. She noted the royal family has "moved on," prioritizing the future. While there will always be hope for reconciliation, she said, it will take time on all sides.
"Trust takes years to rebuild," she said.
