Harry accused Charles of not being a good father, and referred to Queen Camilla as the “wicked” stepmother. Meghan Markle also made a shocking accusation of racism within the Royal Family. The royals have not publicly addressed these allegations, and the divide between the Sussexes and the monarchy has deepened over time. It’s unclear if or when this rift might heal, though one person rumored to want to protect the royal family at all costs is Queen Camilla.
Reportedly, Camilla has been particularly protective of her husband when it comes to matters involving Harry. There was a time when she and the Sussexes were on good terms, and sources suggest that the Queen Consort even made efforts to help Meghan adapt to royal life. However, one event changed the dynamic completely – specifically, a single photograph marked the beginning of Meghan’s departure from royal duties.
When Prince Harry introduced Meghan Markle to the Royal Family, his stepmother, Queen Camilla, was already a long-standing member of the institution, having married King Charles in 2005. Like Meghan, Camilla also faced intense public scrutiny.
Meghan Markle
Harry and Meghan started dating in 2016, but within just a few months, the media began heavily covering the former Suits actress. Eventually, things escalated to the point where Harry felt it was necessary to step in.
Through a statement released by his communications secretary, Harry publicly asserted that Meghan had been targeted by a wave of harassment. The statement explained that the Duke rarely took formal action regarding “fictional stories” reported in the press, but that “the past week has seen a line crossed.””
“Some of this has been very public – the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments,” Harry’s statement read.
“Some of it has been hidden from the public – the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.”
At the time, BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said that there were “those in Buckingham Palace who’ll appreciate his pain.” One of those who certainly understood what Meghan was going through was Camilla, who decided to act.
How Queen Camilla tried helping Meghan Markle settling in to royal life
Camilla made a sincere effort to help Meghan adapt to royal life. Just before Meghan’s wedding to Harry, Camilla invited her to a private lunch, sharing her own experiences with media scrutiny following Princess Diana’s passing and how she managed the pressures involved.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Camilla encouraged Meghan to concentrate on the positives of her position in the Royal Family and to “ride out the storm if negative press would occur.”
Charles is also said to have given Harry similar guidance.
However, Meghan seemed to have a different perspective. In an ITV documentary, she shared that few people showed concern for her well-being, saying: “Not many people have asked if I’m OK.”
A friend of Meghan’s told the Daily Mail: “Meg was really grateful to Camilla, who was very supportive and invited her out for private lunches, particularly around the time of her marriage.” The friend added, “She listened to her and understood that it’s really difficult joining the Royal Family from an otherwise ‘normal’ life.”
The friend also noted: “Much like Meghan, Camilla had experienced a lot of negative press and hostility from courtiers due to her relationship with Charles when he was still married to Diana.”
“She was very sensitive to Meghan and provided her with support, advising her to ride out the storm and that it would all pass – but ultimately Meghan didn’t listen.”
“She tries very hard to make people welcome”
A palace aide informed the Mail that Camilla understands the experience of transitioning from a “normal life” to becoming part of the world’s most renowned royal family.
“Her consciously offering to mentor and guide is something that she really does try and do,” the source noted, emphasizing that this effort applies to many individuals, not just the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex.
The reality that Harry and Meghan’s future was not aligned with the Royal Family became evident in the year following their 2018 wedding. Some experts suggest that the couple contemplated leaving just days after the ceremony. However, it was in January 2020 that the announcement was made stating they would not continue as senior working members of the Royal Family.
In the now-famous Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, Meghan Markle made several explosive claims against the royals, explaining the reasons behind their decision to step back. Although the royal family has remained silent regarding the accusations made by the Sussexes, it appears that other factors contributed to the unsustainable nature of their position within the monarchy.
One troubling aspect of their royal experience was the reported tension between Meghan and Kate Middleton, as well as Meghan’s reportedly deteriorating relationship with Camilla.
Meghan Markle ‘sparked a war‘ with Queen Camilla over pictures
But whose fault was that? One story concerns a picture that was said to have made Camilla furious, marking the beginning of the end.
In 2020, just weeks before Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties, Camilla was set to attend the 10th Anniversary of the Women of the World festival, where she was scheduled to deliver a speech. Reports indicated that Meghan had assured she wouldn’t overshadow Camilla.
According to the Mirror, Camilla and her team had meticulously planned the event for over a year. However, once they arrived, Meghan ended up stealing the spotlight, which disappointed Camilla.
“Camilla’s work is very important to her and her decision to highlight the scourge of domestic violence at the 10th anniversary of Women of the World was a carefully thought-out plan,” a royal insider shared.
“Of course it was known Harry and Meghan would be doing engagements this week, some privately, but everyone was in agreement that Camilla’s speech should take precedence. Unfortunately, some people had other ideas.”
Meghan was accused of stealing Camilla’s spotlight by releasing pictures of herself at the event on the same day. As per the Daily Mail, Buckingham Palace had urged royal correspondents to focus on Camilla and not Meghan, but that didn’t happen.
“These kinds of ‘clashes’ are inevitable”
The Duchess reportedly insisted on publishing the photos, which were released in a rushed manner, leading to blame on her part.
In an interview with The Sun last year, royal expert Duncan Larcome expressed understanding for Camilla’s frustration regarding the photos. He stated, “The ‘men in grey suits’ are at pains to avoid diary clashes and the prospect of one member of the family outshining the other on the same day. Camilla would be justified at being miffed to say the least. But as Harry and Meghan continue their work without any regard for the rest of the work of the Royal Family, these kinds of ‘clashes’ are inevitable.”
Camilla has become a significant figure within the Royal Family, especially as she has taken on a considerable amount of responsibility during King Charles’ cancer diagnosis and recovery. Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan are focused on repairing their public image, which could suggest that Camilla has managed to get her revenge.
Harry and Meghan had previously signed a substantial deal with Spotify, but it ended poorly when Meghan’s Archetypes podcast was canceled, leading to the termination of their entire Spotify agreement.
In the case of Queen Camilla, podcasts appear to be her thing.
Queen Camilla’s ‘revenge’ on Meghan Markle
In 2021, Camilla introduced a new initiative called The Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room, a book club focused on reading recommendations and more. It was established during the pandemic, achieved significant success, and eventually turned into a podcast.
“Camilla’s podcast has been a great success. She has proven many times over she can bring in any of the big names from the world of the arts she wants,” stated Ingrid Seward, Editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, in an interview with The Sun.
“Given Meghan’s apparent disinterest in Queen Camilla, I doubt if she has a nice word to say about her or her podcast,” Seward added.
Denise Palmer Davies, a brand expert and director of Borne Media, believes Camilla’s success serves as the “perfect revenge” on Meghan.
“After all the hurtful things Harry has said about Camilla, she has finally got her own back on them,” she remarked to The Sun. “I bet Meghan, in particular, will be livid over the whole thing and probably a bit embarrassed that hers fell at the first hurdle.”
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