Meghan ‘protecting herself’ from Prince Harry’s ‘chaos’ | Royal | News

Prince Harry may be trying to make amends with his father ahead of next year’s Invictus Games, but the reported lack of an invitation to his cousin Peter Phillips’ wedding suggests the royal rift is far from resolved. What’s more, wife Meghan is allegedly increasingly keen to separate herself from the drama as she tries to build her own lifestyle brand, with a royal source telling the Mirror that she wants to avoid Harry’s “chaos”.

Peter will marry NHS nurse Harriet Sperling in the Cotswolds on June 6, with senior royals including King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales in attendance. But Palace sources say the Duke of Sussex, 41, has been sidelined once again as his choice to step back from royal duties continues to have consequences.

Royal author Duncan Larcombe says that even if Harry was extended an invitation, he would likely decline due to his ongoing dispute with his brother Prince William, who is expected to attend alongside Peter’s mother, Princess Anne, and her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

“The main thing is William’s involvement,” says Duncan. “Harry will not agree to go to an event where he will have to face his brother who is still angry at him.” And although groom Peter doesn’t personally have any “beef” with his cousin, Duncan thinks it was “fully known he wouldn’t have come” even if he had extended an invitation to Harry and Meghan.

There is equally little doubt that Harry’s attendance at the wedding will divert attention away from the bride and groom. Last week, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond warned that it would be the “biggest no-no” for Harry and Meghan, 44, to overshadow the event, adding: “This is undoubtedly what would have happened if Harry had gone to the wedding with or without Meghan.”

“It looks like they took the most logical route – leaving the Sussexes off the guest list, along with Peter’s uncle Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.”

While it’s completely understandable that the happy couple, who first went public with their relationship in May 2024, didn’t want Harry to overshadow their special day, it’s perhaps even more surprising that Harry’s own wife is reportedly fed up with the arguments surrounding her husband and his family.

Even more remarkable is Harry’s apparent embrace of a celebrity-style existence; As Duncan suggests, this completely contradicts his earlier claims that he hated life in the public eye in his youth. “While Meghan is busy building her brand, Harry is busy dealing with his worst nightmare: living as so-called royalty, which entails everything he hated growing up,” says Duncan.

“She’s stuck in a world of red carpets and camera flashes, which she never enjoyed as a child. But with Meghan, red carpets and cameras are part of her brand, so she has to protect herself from Harry’s chaos to get what she wants. Disagreements with Harry’s family have undoubtedly caused drama throughout their marriage.”

Earlier this year the couple, who are parents to seven-year-old Archie and Lilibet, who turns five this week, faced harsh criticism for embarking on what is widely referred to as a semi-royal tour of Australia, during which the Duke and Duchess attended a number of high-profile engagements.

The pair have made headlines around the world with their candid conversations, television appearances (including Meghan’s guest appearance on MasterChef Australia) and a string of potentially lucrative business deals. During a particularly emotional speech in Melbourne, Harry risked causing unrest in the Palace by talking about his desire to “purify himself from the past” to be the best father he can be to his children.

He also reflected on his previous resistance to embracing a royal destiny, saying: “‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role. Wherever this goes, I don’t like it.’ He killed my mother. “I was very against it and for years I buried my head in the sand and stuck my fingers in my eyes.”

According to Duncan, his words are unlikely to have any effect on repairing his damaged relations with his family in Britain. “Whenever Harry gives a speech at an event, like he did in Australia, it becomes a sort of soap opera – everyone is talking about his family squabbles, his relationship with his father and brother,” Duncan explains. “But of course he continues to include his family in everything he does, because that’s the only thing that really matters about Harry.

“He’s important because he’s a member of the royal family, but his relationships with them are so tense that every time he mentions them, it creates speculation and more talk of disagreement and hostility.”

With Meghan’s unwavering focus on building her lifestyle brand As Ever, the ongoing drama surrounding Harry and his family is thought to be at odds with the joyful, inspirational image he wants his products to convey.

“Meghan is very determined, very ambitious, very focused and very driven in the way she builds her brand and her businesses,” says Duncan. “So maybe I’m not surprised he’s trying to make his own way.”

Unfortunately for Harry, it looks like it will be a major challenge to extricate himself from royal turmoil.