Meghan Markle Reportedly Fears Another Visit to the U.K. Will Further Pull at Prince Harry’s Heartstrings

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published 6 August 2022

The new question surrounding the Sussexes? Did she or didn’t she—meaning, did the Queen invite Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children to her beloved Balmoral in Scotland for summer vacation? (Marie Claire has heard both yes and no.)

New reports from OK! reveal that apparently Meghan fears another trip to the U.K., as visits there—such as their quick trip to Windsor in April and then to London for the Platinum Jubilee in June—reportedly “pull at his heartstrings.”

“It’s a bittersweet invite for Meghan,” a source says. “On one hand, it fuels her and Harry’s confidence that they are very much still part of the family. But after so much time away, [Meghan] fears Harry will be lured back into the fold and want to return to the U.K. Meghan doesn’t doubt that Harry is committed to spending the rest of his life in America but does have certain trepidation over how these types of visits can pull at his heartstrings.”

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Uprooting from your home country at age 35 as Harry did back in January 2020 is no easy feat, and “she’s been aware of Harry’s homesickness for some time,” the source says. “She can see just how excited he is to show more of his heritage to their children, without the attention and security fears that surrounded them in London.”

The visit would be even more poignant as the Queen, at 96, has been up and down with her health for the past year.

“It goes without saying he wants to spend as much time with his grandmother while he still can,” the source says. “So, this offer is a big deal to him and it’s one he’s going to take up with open arms. It’ll be such a treat to spend precious time with the Queen, and Harry would love to enjoy a pint in a British pub and spend time with his family in the countryside. He’s really missed it.”

Later this month also marks 25 years since the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a Paris car crash. Harry and older brother Prince William were at Balmoral when they learned of the accident.

Some sources tell OK! they would be “stunned” if the Sussexes made the trip, “especially since their presence wasn’t well received when they returned for the Platinum Jubilee in June.”

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.