Prince Harry Sets the Record Straight About Meghan Markle Divorce Rumors

"She's in California, you're in New York—they say, 'Well, what is happening with these two, right?'"

Meghan Markle has long brown hair and is wearing a white jacket while she stands with husband Prince Harry, who wears a black polo shirt with the Invictus Games logo
(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation)

On Wednesday, Dec. 4, Prince Harry made an appearance at The New York Times 2024 DealBook Summit, where he got candid about many aspects of his life. As well as advising other people to never Google themselves, the Duke of Sussex touched on rampant rumors regarding his relationship with Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry joined DealBook founder Andrew Ross Sorkin onstage at the event in New York, and the royal wasn't afraid to open up about his personal life. "I Google Newsed you, and there were people fascinated by everything you're doing, all the time," Sorkin told Harry (via People).

"They're fascinated [that] Meghan is in California right now, and you're here," Sorkin told the royal. Duchess Meghan, of course, stepped out in Beverly Hills on Wednesday night for the Paley Honors Tribute to Tyler Perry. Sorkin continued, "And there's articles left and right about, you know, 'Why are you making, doing independent events? Why aren't you doing them together?'"

Responding to Sorkin's comments, Harry exclaimed, "Because you invited me, you should have known!"

Prince Harry wears a black polo shirt featuring a small Invictus Games logo while he poses for a photo with his wife, Meghan Markle, who wears a white shirt

"They're fascinated [that] Meghan is in California right now, and you're here," Sorkin told Harry.

(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation)

Sorkin then asked the Duke of Sussex whether an intense level of speculation was "normal" for him. The columnist said, "The second there's an article—she's in California, you're in New York—they say, 'Well, what is happening with these two, right?' Is that a good thing for you, in a way, that there's so much interest in you?"

Prince Harry used the opportunity to set the record straight about the status of his marriage to Meghan, with whom he shares children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. "No, that's definitely not a good thing," Harry explained. "Apparently we've bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We've apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it's just like, what?"

Meghan Markle wearing a tan coat and black dress with black Rothy's flats holding hands with Prince Harry walking past fans and waving

"Apparently we've bought or moved house 10, 12 times," Harry explained.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Noting that the gossip moves quickly, and is very often untrue, the Duke said, "It's hard to keep up with, but that's why you just sort of ignore it. The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls." He continued, "Their hopes are just built and built, and it's like, 'Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,' and then it doesn't happen. So I feel sorry for them. Genuinely, I do."

Harry also noted that his appearance at the DealBook Summit would likely be tabloid fodder, too. "[It] will be spun or twisted somehow against me, and maybe you yourself will be trolled relentlessly," Harry told Sorkin. "For that, I can only apologize, but you did invite me, so it's not my fault."

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.