Meghan Markle "Fears" Being "Heckled" If She Returns to U.K.

"The last thing she needs is the stress of going back."

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meets members of the public on the long Walk at Windsor Castle
(Image credit: Getty Images/Chris Jackson)

It could be quite some time before Meghan Markle returns to the U.K., if new reports are to be believed. While Prince Harry will reportedly spend some time with the royal family over the summer, his wife is likely to stay at home in California.

An alleged "insider" has claimed to Closer that Duchess Meghan fears returning to the U.K. for a very specific reason. "The last thing she needs is the stress of going back to the U.K., where she fears she’d be heckled again in public, which she finds incredibly painful," the source told the publication.

While Meghan apparently has no plans to return to the country, she is allegedly understanding of her husband's need to go back. "Harry is very anxious to go home and see his dad, catch up with his friends for his birthday in September and also pay a visit to his aunt, Princess Anne," the source told the magazine. "But that situation hasn’t changed for Meghan."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the ESPY Awards in California on July 11, 2024.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the ESPY Awards in California on July 11, 2024.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As well as reportedly fearing being "heckled" by members of the general public, the Duchess of Sussex is also pretty busy right now. "She’s got way too much on her plate with the brand [American Riviera Orchard] and her new cooking show, as well as looking after the kids," the insider told Closer.

Despite not wanting to make the trip herself, Meghan is reportedly supporting Harry's decision to reach out to his family. "She’s respectful that Harry has to go back to his home for practical and emotional reasons, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to go with him," the source claimed.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands.

Meghan Markle is reportedly supportive of Prince Harry's decision to spend some time in the U.K. with his family and friends.

(Image credit: Pool)

Prince Harry recently spoke about the fears he has regarding Meghan's safety in a new documentary called Tabloids on Trial on Britain's ITV. The documentary explores a series of high-profile court cases brought against some of Britain's tabloids, with Prince Harry revealing his belief that certain publications directed a huge amount of hate at his wife. As a result, he doesn't believe it's safe for Meghan to return to the U.K. anytime soon.

"It's still dangerous, and all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read," Harry said in the documentary (as transcribed by People). He continued, "And whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me, it's one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country."

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.