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THERE are two key signs things are ‘not rosy’ between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ahead of his 40th birthday, claimed a royal expert.
The Duke will be celebrating his milestone celebration tomorrow but plans for a lads getaway – without his wife – have sparked rampant rumours there could be trouble in paradise.
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His statement ahead of the momentous occasion, upon which he will inherit an eye-water £8million from the late Queen Mother, also raised some eyebrows.
The dad-of-two showered kids Archie, five, Lilibet, three, with praise – but failed to mention Meghan.
I have always thought she is the one that sets the agenda – which he follows – how willingly I don’t know
Hugo Vickers
It comes amid reports from Harry’s former pals that he is miserable in the US, hidden by Meghan’s ‘shadow’ as he’s relegated to her “plus one”.
Royal expert Hugo Vickers told The Sun: “It is surprising that he didn’t mention his wife as he has a habit of doing so, so I can see how that leads us to speculate things are not rosy in that particular quarter.
“This birthday will be a time for him to look back and forward, I hope in a sense he will pause and think about the things he’s said and done that have been extremely damaging to relations with his own family and isolated him.”
The historian highlighted the “extraordinary” step Harry and Meg took walking away from the Firm in 2020.
But he doubted a bright future for the couple in a “highly commercial and very different world” to which the duke was raised in.
Mr Vickers also claimed the pair “rely” on the waning “royal celebrity status” Harry brings them.
“The press are interested in them now but that won’t last forever. I think he will be reflecting on that,” he said.
MEGHAN’S AGENDA
Speaking of Meghan and Harry’s heavily scrutinised relationship in the public eye, the royal expert suggested the duchess was “more proactive and outgoing”.
“I have always thought she is the one that sets the agenda – which he follows – how willingly I don’t know,” he continued.
“He does seem to be a plus-one. People have suggested she’s been giving him messages on what to do and how to comport himself and when I, as an outsider, look at the two of them I see a confident Meghan and a rather unhappy Prince Harry.”
The historian told how he stumbled upon a photograph of the duke with a beaming smile.
“I thought ‘hang on a minute this isn’t the Prince Harry I recognise at the moment’,” he explained.
He was very excited to find Meghan, most of the time they’ve been pretty united, maybe they’re not so united at this moment
Hugo Vickers
“When I looked at the date it was from 2015, pre-Meghan.”
Amid rampant speculation there is a wedge between the pair, Mr Vickers spoke of how life has changed for the duke since moving overseas.
“I think his life is being more shaped by Meghan than himself,” he said.
“We’ve all read reports that she has isolated him from his earlier friends.
How Prince Harry has gone from spare heir to ‘Meghan’s plus one’
By Grace Macaskill and Alex Diaz
PRINCE Harry has told of his excitement at turning 40 — but failed to mention his wife in a message marking his birthday.
In an 84-word statement ahead of his landmark celebration tomorrow, he praised his two children and said he was “committed to making this world a better place”.
Harry, who will also inherit £8million from the late Queen mum on Sunday, added that while he had been “anxious” turning 30, he was now “excited” to become 40.
He said: “Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world.”
He went on to describe how being dad to “incredibly kind and funny” five-year-old Archie and sister Lilibet, three, was one of “life’s greatest joys”.
But there was one thing plainly missing from Harry’s statement — his wife, Meghan.
The glaring omission — a rare one for the prince, who is usually gushing about the woman he wed six years ago — set tongues wagging, once again.
The statement came as friends claim the royal has now been reduced to being Meghan’s “plus-one” at events, something that has led fans to fear the worst.
Is there trouble in paradise? Surely not?
Harry and Meghan have said they will celebrate tomorrow’s landmark birthday at their home in Montecito, California.
The quiet bash will most likely feature a strong showing mostly of Meghan’s Hollywood pals, as insiders insist poor old Harry’s friendship group across the Atlantic is somewhat thin on the ground.
Indeed, insiders claim Harry has become increasingly isolated and currently counts his best friend as his security guard, David Langdown — aka “Langers”.
They added Harry has also been relegated to Meghan’s “plus-one” for events.
This week, he turned up at the opening of a bookshop run by two of her friends, literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and cosmetics boss Victoria Jackson.
The source said: “The event summed up Harry’s life in a nutshell. He was there more of a plus one than an equal — someone useful for a social media picture.
“His circle of friends has been curated by Meghan. His social life seems to be more and more guided and built by her.”
“And of course, some of his friends, and we assume Prince William, raised various anxieties about him getting married so quickly, and if he has repeated that to Meghan Markle, which I’m sure he did, that would never be forgiven, and they would be eliminated to some extent.”
The only person, according to Mr Vickers, who appears to have maintained a strong relationship with Harry is his cousin Princess Eugenie.
As stories swirl about Harry’s lost UK childhood friendships, it has been reported the duke has formed few bonds in the States.
“But if he’s going off which a group of friends all curated and hand chosen by Meghan Markle. he’s not going to have a hugely exciting boys weekend away,” claimed Mr Vickers.
“He was very excited to find Meghan, most of the time they’ve been pretty united, maybe they’re not so united at this moment.
“The bond will be the children, of whom he speaks so affectionately, I’m sure that gives him enormous satisfaction and purpose in life, looking after these small children.
“There’s a sadness there too because they’re going to grow up and realise at a certain point they don’t know their cousins.
“If you were being brought up in California and find out your first cousin was a future king of England you might have wanted to spend more time with them.”
‘VERY VERY BAD SIGN’
Ahead of her husband’s 40th birthday, Meghan was dubbed “Duchess Difficult” by terrified staff, according to a brutal US report.
The mum-of-two, 43, was also described as a “dictator in high heels” who bombards employees with emails from 5am.
This came amid speculation sparked by Meghan and hubby Prince Harry’s notoriously high turnover of staff and how Josh Kettler had quit as the Sussexes’ chief of staff after just three months.
“I know people around Windsor who told how difficult she was when they were in Adelaide Cottage,” added Mr Vickers.
At the moment she needs him, but there may be a time where she feels she can go off on her own and has created her own identity and can discard him
Hugo Vickers
“There was a time when she was incredibly rude to one of the sub-gardeners, and the head gardener complained to the Queen, and she drove down to Adelaide Cottage and ticked her off.
“There’s a lot of evidence they can’t keep hold of staff and that is a very very bad sign because some people inspire huge loyalty, the late Prince Philip for example.”
The royal expert shared his long-held worry that “it will end badly” for the Sussexes.
“If you do something different, as with the Duke of Windsor, who I’ve only met once but I’ve never seen a man with such sad eyes,” he said.
The historian said it “doesn’t look good” for the pair “unless [they] deliver the goods” in a “very cutting edge, sharp world”.
He continued: “I have a feeling, as far as Prince Harry is concerned, it’s not going to end so well. I can’t say with Meghan Markle, she may have her own independent plans.
“The reason we’re talking about them is because we know Harry as a Prince. Meghan was doing a lot of good work before, but nothing compared to the profile she got by marrying Prince Harry.
“At the moment she needs him, but there may be a time where she feels she can go off on her own and has created her own identity and can discard him. I don’t want to say that but it is always a possibility.”
A representative for the Sussexes was contacted for comment.
Meghan Markle dubbed ‘Duchess Difficult’
By Alex Diaz
MEGHAN has been dubbed “Duchess Difficult” by terrified staff, according to a brutal US report.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was also described as a “dictator in high heels” who fires off raging emails to employees at all hours.
The devastating assessment came amid speculation on Meghan and hubby Prince Harry’s high turnover of staff.
A source, said to be close to the California-based couple, told The Hollywood Reporter: “Everyone’s terrified of Meghan.
“She belittles people, she doesn’t take advice.
“They’re both poor decision-makers, they change their minds frequently.
“Harry is a very, very charming person — no airs at all — but he’s very much an enabler. And she’s just terrible.”
The respected trade publication claimed that “noisy tantrums and angry 5am emails” had earned Meghan the title of “Duchess Difficult”.
One source said she is “absolutely relentless”, adding: “She marches around like a dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders.
“I’ve watched her reduce grown men to tears.”
In 2021, Buckingham Palace investigated claims Meghan bullied two female royal aides “out of the household”.
Harry and Meghan’s former communications secretary wrote in a leaked email from 2018: “The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights.”
Meghan denounced the allegations as a “calculated smear campaign” against her.
The probe concluded in 2022 but its results were never released.
Sources close to the Sussexes described The Hollywood Reporter article as “ill-informed”.
The couple’s representatives declined to comment on the story.
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