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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘rift with the royal family is widening’ because they insist on ‘doing things their own way whatever the cost’, royal expert claims

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle now live in Santa Barbara with their son Archie
  • The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended Remembrance Sunday in Los Angeles
  • Shared photographs from visit as Prince Harry’s wreath was snubbed in London
  • Royal expert Katie Nicholl says this shows the gap between couple and the Firm
  • Author told OK! magazine that the royal family ‘refuses to bend the rules’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are growing further apart from the royal family because they ‘do things their own way whatever the cost, while the Firm refuses to bend the rules’, a royal expert has claimed.

Katie Nicholl noted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to publicise a visit to Los Angeles National Cemetery on Remembrance Sunday with the help of celebrity photographer Lee Morgan after Prince Harry’s request for a wreath to be laid at the Cenotaph was snubbed.

She told OK! magazine that the display will have only further frayed his strained relationship with the Firm, adding: ‘It highlights the great divide between Harry and the royal family.’

‘There is such a gaping cavern now and exercises like this only serve to widen that gap rather than heal the rift,’ she continued.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (pictured) are growing further apart from the royal family because they ‘do things their own way whatever the cost, while the Firm refuses to bend the rules’, a royal expert has claimed

‘Harry and Meghan do things very differently to the royal family and to me it shows how determined they are to do things their own way whatever the cost.’

The royal expert said the couple’s decision to ‘personally recognise’ Remembrance Sunday and behaviour similar to this could harm their future roles in the monarchy. 

Katie suggested it would’ve been painful for Prince Harry, 36, to have been ‘left out’ of this year’s Remembrance commemoration in London – despite asking for a wreath to be laid on his behalf.

The duke, who spent 10 years serving the military, is thought to have been ‘deeply saddened’ after palace aides refused to grant his request, according to The Times.

But Katie insisted that the royal family are not prepared to bend the rules.

Katie Nicholl noted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to publicise a visit to Los Angeles National Cemetery on Remembrance Sunday with the help of celebrity photographer Lee Morgan after Prince Harry’s request for a wreath to be laid at the Cenotaph was snubbed. Pictured, The Queen on Remembrance Sunday

It later emerged that Prince Harry’s wreath was made at the Royal British Legion’s Kent HQ for £1,000, but lay there forgotten.

Prince Harry and Meghan, 39, stepped back from their royal duties in March – but the royal expert said Buckingham Palace will have been watching their behaviour.

She said the Sussexes will have been monitored ‘very closely’ during this trial year and probation period.

Prince Harry and Meghan ‘personally recognised’ Remembrance Day by visiting the Los Angeles National Cemetery to pay their respects to fallen Commonwealth soldiers.

Meghan and Prince Harry visit the Los Angeles National Cemetery in honour of Remembrance Sunday

Prince Harry signed a message with the wreath he left at the cemetery saying: ‘To all of those who have served, and are serving. Thank you’

They also placed a wreath at an obelisk in the cemetery that features a plaque that’s inscribed ‘In Memory of the Men Who Offered Their Lives in Deference of Their Country’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex laid flowers they had picked from their own garden at two graves, one for those who had served in the Royal Australian Air Force and one for soldiers from the Royal Canadian Artillery. 

They also placed a wreath at an obelisk in the cemetery that features a plaque inscribed ‘In Memory of the Men Who Offered Their Lives In Defence Of Their Country’. 

The couple laid flowers in memory of the Ronald William Scott, a Leading Aircraftman in the Royal Australian Air Force who died in the Second World War, aged just 22. 

They also visited the grave of Captain William Quayle Setliffe Sr, who served in the First World War, before dying on Christmas Day in 1946 at the age of 61. He served with the Royal Canadian Artillery. 

Prince William and Prince Charles attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London

Members of the public were told not to go to the memorial for the wreath laying because of strict lockdown restrictions

Harry was pictured wearing a navy suit with his service medals attached, while Meghan wore a long belted black coat. The pair wore masks on the way to the cemetery, though they were pictured without them when they reached the graves.

The flowers were picked by Meghan from the garden of their $14 million Santa Barbara mansion.  

A spokesman for the couple said: ‘It was important to the duke and duchess to be able to personally recognise Remembrance in their own way, to pay tribute to those who have served and to those who gave their lives.

‘The couple laid flowers that the duchess picked from their garden at the gravesites of two commonwealth soldiers, one who had served in the Royal Australian Air Force and one from the Royal Canadian Artillery.’

The statement said they also placed a wreath at an obelisk in the cemetery. ‘The duke signed a message with the wreath saying: “To all of those who have served, and are serving. Thank you”.’

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