Princess of Wales recovering from abdominal surgery as father-in-law King Charles battles cancer
Reports suggest that Meghan Markle has reached out to Princess Kate Middleton as a gesture of reconciliation, but some royal observers remain skeptical.
“This claim is unfounded,” stated Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, in an interview with Fox News Digital. “There has been no communication between Meghan Markle and the Princess of Wales. Given the princess’s current state of recovery, any outreach from Meghan would be deemed highly inappropriate.”
“Catherine is gradually easing back into her routine,” Schofield remarked, “handling minimal communication such as emails, approving schedules, and managing household responsibilities. Dealing with the storm that Meghan Markle brings is not a priority for her.”
The Daily Mirror in the U.K. recently claimed that Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, contacted her sister-in-law following a visit by Markle’s husband, Prince Harry, to his father, King Charles III, who was recently diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
The outlet reported that Meghan Markle, an American former actress, “reached out” to the princess, and there are “efforts underway behind the scenes.”
Additionally, a source informed Us Weekly that Markle made efforts to initiate peace talks with Princess Kate, who is 42 years old, as well as with her father-in-law.
Schofield remains unfazed.
“Meghan Markle and the Princess of Wales will never be friends,” Schofield asserted. “Prince Harry confirmed this with the release of his memoir, ‘Spare,’ although Meghan Markle initially strained the relationship with her grievances, disguised as taking the higher ground in the Oprah Winfrey interview. Despite the breach of trust, Harry will always hold a special place in Catherine’s heart because she knew a very different Harry.”
“There is no love lost with Meghan Markle,” Schofield added.
During her sit-down with Winfrey in 2021, Markle, now 42, addressed reports that she left Princess Kate in tears leading up to her 2018 royal wedding due to a disagreement over bridesmaid dresses.
“The reverse happened,” said the former “Suits” star.
“And I don’t say that to cast any negativity on anyone, because it was a challenging week leading up to the wedding, and she was upset about something,” Markle continued. “But she took ownership of it, apologized, and even brought me flowers along with a note expressing her apologies. I believe it wouldn’t be fair to delve into the specifics of that incident because she has apologized. And I’ve forgiven her.”
Markle characterized Princess Kate as “a genuinely good person” and emphasized that people shouldn’t pit them against each other.
“If you support me, there’s no need to harbor ill feelings towards her,” Markle stated. “Likewise, if you support her, there’s no need to harbor animosity towards me.”
On January 29, Buckingham Palace disclosed that Princess Kate had been discharged from a private London hospital after several weeks of stay. The mother of three underwent abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition. It’s noteworthy that she was treated at the same central London hospital where the 75-year-old king sought treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Subsequently, on February 5, the palace confirmed that the king had been diagnosed with cancer and had commenced treatment. The palace clarified that the cancer is unrelated to his previous benign prostate condition.
Royal photographer and broadcaster Helena Chard informed Fox News Digital that rumors about Markle trying to mend fences with Princess Kate are unfounded.
“Meghan’s history of reconciling with her own family and friends is practically non-existent,” she remarked. “However, it is in Meghan’s best interest to demonstrate compassion, and humility, and seek reconciliation with the British royal family, given that both Harry and Meghan heavily rely on their royal titles. Undoubtedly, Meghan would also aim to regain some of her supporters.”
“Harry has made it clear that Meghan shares his worries for the king and Kate Middleton as they navigate through serious health challenges,” Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” informed Fox News Digital.
“However, there’s no indication that either party is actively attempting significant reconciliation,” he stated. “Understandably, people are grasping onto any faint indication that Harry and Meghan might be embraced back into the royal fold. As of now, there’s no credible evidence suggesting a thaw is occurring, particularly not between Meghan and Kate.”
On February 12, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quietly unveiled their new Sussex website. The platform features the latest updates about the couple, along with links to their organizations, the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions. Additionally, Markle’s coat of arms, incorporating Harry’s crest, is prominently displayed on the site.
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner informed Fox News Digital that regardless of the accuracy of the reports, it would be logical for the couple to pursue peace talks.
“It seems highly sensible to have Harry and Meghan return,” he remarked. “They possess a star quality akin to the late Princess Grace of Monaco. Furthermore, they inherently possess a relatable quality, which aligns with the photo opportunities and PR messaging the royal family is endeavoring to convey. It’s an ongoing process.”
“I believe Meghan can find it in her heart to forgive the slanderous stories and stand by her sister-in-law,” he expressed.
Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020 and relocating to California with his wife, Harry’s relationship with his family has been strained. They cited the relentless intrusion and racist undertones of the British media as reasons for their departure. Harry attended his father’s coronation in May but departed immediately after the ceremony to return to the U.S. for his son’s birthday, arriving alone.
After stepping down as senior royals, Harry and his wife openly aired their grievances about royal life. In 2021, they participated in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which garnered a global audience of 50 million viewers. Following this, they released a six-part docuseries on Netflix in 2022. Subsequently, Harry’s memoir, titled “Spare,” was published in 2023, swiftly becoming a bestseller.
Nick Bullen, co-founder of True Royalty TV, previously informed Fox News Digital that the royal wives were never close friends.
“There wasn’t really any bond between the two of them,” Bullen stated. “The rift was between the brothers – Prince William and Prince Harry – not between the sisters-in-law, not between the wives.”
Bullen, an acclaimed documentarian with two decades of experience producing programs about the British royal family, has also collaborated closely with the monarchy for approximately ten years.
Bullen explained that despite maintaining a composed demeanor in public, it was challenging for the women to establish a connection behind palace walls.
“I spoke with someone early on in the Sussex marriage who had attended a dinner with Kate and had inquired about Meghan,” Bullen recalled. “Kate simply remarked, ‘She’s just really different from the rest of us,’ and not in a negative manner. They simply didn’t share many common interests.”
“Kate comes from a privileged English background, having not held many jobs before marrying into royalty,” he elaborated. “On the other hand, Meghan was a divorced professional woman from Los Angeles. Their backgrounds and experiences were distinct. So, I don’t think the bond we, as the world, were hoping for ever truly materialized. We envisioned scenes of them attending events like Wimbledon together. However, it’s rare to find instances where it was just the two of them coming together.”
Bullen further commented that whatever minimal relationship the wives had managed to establish “had deteriorated long before the passing of the queen.”
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, passed away in 2022 at the age of 96.
“I believe that after the queen’s death, there wasn’t much of a relationship left to falter,” Bullen remarked. “To be honest, I don’t think it truly existed in the first instance.”