On May 19, Harry and Meghan celebrated six years since they got married. They got married at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. Back then, they were seen as part of the royal family’s future, along with Prince William and Kate Middleton.
But things changed. What started as a problem between Harry and William turned into a problem between Harry, Meghan, and the rest of the royal family. Their relationship is really bad now, and people wonder if they’ll ever make up.
Now, six years later, Harry and Meghan live in the US. But is life better for them now? A royal expert says their rivalry could get even worse, which might lead to two separate royal families.
Harry and Meghan’s wedding was on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. It was the first royal wedding since William and Kate got married seven years earlier. Many people wanted to compare the two weddings.
Both weddings were big deals, but they had differences. One big difference was how Meghan rode to her wedding with her mother, not her father, like Kate did. Meghan’s relationship with her father, Thomas, was complicated.
If you look at pictures, Meghan waved to the crowd more relaxed, with her fingers spaced out. Kate kept her fingers close together when she waved.
The weddings of William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan, were quite different. William and Kate’s wedding was serious, with fewer laughs, while Harry and Meghan’s was more relaxed and had gospel singing.
William and Kate invited world leaders, ambassadors, and Prime Ministers, along with many other important guests. Meghan and Harry had more celebrities on their guest list.
Their wedding was unique because of their private life and the media attention they got before the wedding. Some guests, like George Clooney and his wife Amal, didn’t know Harry or Meghan.
There’s a story about Carolyn Bartholomew, who was Diana’s former flatmate, asking the Clooneys how they knew Harry or Meghan at the wedding. The Clooneys said they didn’t.
After the wedding, Harry and Meghan visited the Clooneys at their home in Italy. George Clooney said they’ve had dinner together a few times over the years.
Oprah Winfrey also attended the wedding, but people were surprised because there was no talk about her relationship with Harry and Meghan. One headline even said, “Oprah Winfrey has arrived at the royal wedding — but people aren’t sure why.”
Royal expert Andrew Morton, known for his book “Diana: Her True Story,” questioned Meghan’s choice of celebrity guests at the wedding. He said Meghan invited A-list Hollywood celebrities who had defended her publicly.
Morton said, “I don’t think she even knew Oprah Winfrey before the wedding. But she invited these people, and now she has her own group of supporters.”
He added, “Meghan’s A-list celebrity friends are very vocal and powerful, unlike Prince Harry’s friends who stay quiet.”
Some people thought Harry and Meghan might consider leaving the royal family soon after their wedding. Just days after the wedding, Jonny Dymond, a royal correspondent for the BBC, felt something wasn’t right.
“There were stories coming out about how Meghan behaved towards staff,” Dymond said in the BBC documentary “The Prince and the Press.”
Camilla Tominey, who first reported on Harry and Meghan’s relationship, said, “We were hearing that things weren’t good between William and Harry, Meghan and Kate, and Harry and Meghan with the royal household.”
Even now, many things are unclear about why Harry and Meghan left the royal family for good.
Meghan Markle talked about their decision in an interview with The Cut. She said the British press was always criticizing her, which affected her health and relationship with the royal family.
Because Harry and Meghan’s lives were paid for by taxpayers, the tabloids said their lives were of public interest. So, Harry and Meghan suggested they could earn their own money instead of relying on taxpayers.
Meghan said maybe all the criticism would stop if they did that.
They also asked the royal family if they could leave the UK and live in another country like South Africa or Canada, which is part of the Commonwealth. But the answer was no.
Meghan said they wanted to leave because they were upsetting the royal family’s order just by being there. She said it wasn’t a new idea because other royal family members have done the same thing.
But for some reason, they weren’t allowed to do it, even though other family members could.
Six years have passed, and Harry and Meghan now live in the US with their children, Archie and Lilibet. But according to one expert, their seemingly perfect life might not be as perfect as it seems.
Ingrid Sweard, who is a royal editor, said their big, fairytale wedding in 2018 made people love them at first. But then, people started to change their minds.
“We liked them for a while, but then we didn’t like them as much anymore. There were too many complaints. But they were in love, and that was important. Until they left, and then they didn’t matter anymore. They disappointed the Queen, Prince Charles, William, and Kate,” said Ingrid Sweard.
“They disappointed us. Harry seemed okay. He liked living in California with his family. But he was upset about leaving everything behind, including his brother, father, and sister-in-law, Kate.”
Harry and Meghan talked about the day they left royal life for good in their Netflix show. They left the UK on a private jet with their son Archie and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland. Harry called it the “freedom flight.” It was surprising for many people that they decided to live away from the royal family.
In addition, Seward said Harry is successful financially, but as a person, he’s not seen as successful.
“He’s been a great husband and dad. When he and Meghan celebrate their six-year anniversary today, they’ll feel proud,” Seward told The Sun.
“People thought their marriage wouldn’t last, but it has! Harry isn’t as popular in his home country as he used to be. Some people feel sorry for him. But I don’t think Harry sees it that way. He’s happy with Meghan in their own world. I think they’ll stay happy together.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliam also talked about Harry and Meghan’s marriage. He said they seem well-suited from the outside.
“They sometimes surprise people with their actions, which some people don’t like,” he said.
“But as far as I can see, their marriage looks good. They have fans. Meghan has started projects like American Riviera Orchard, and she’s working with Netflix and Cochrane entertainments. Harry is focusing on polo. Their trip to Nigeria was successful. But what they’ll do in the future is uncertain.”
In another interview, historian Gareth Russell talked about Harry and Meghan forming what he calls “an alternative royal family.”
“It’s a real possibility. But the problem for them is, when you do something like that, people become more critical of what you do outside of that,” Russell said.
“They’re calling it ‘The Office of Harry and Meghan,’ which is interesting. Maybe it’s a way to change the negative headlines they’ve had recently. They could be trying to become more traditional and position themselves as ex-royals.”
Russell wondered if they’re getting advice to stop criticizing the royal family. Right now, their popularity in America isn’t high, but that could change. Public opinion can change quickly.
