Prince Harry and Meghan Markle go back many years. However, the way they met was quite unconventional. The two fell in love and later married, with the former Suits star moving to the UK to begin her royal lifestyle.
But by now, we all know what happened. Harry and Meghan decided to leave the royal family, and in their now-infamous Oprah interview, the couple lashed out at the royals, accusing them of many things. Moreover, Meghan Markle made some shocking claims about how she didn’t receive any help with her mental health issues, among other things.
The couple now resides in sunny California, and life has taken a turn for the better for them. However, gossip about the pair not getting along has flooded the internet. And a new picture of Meghan has put more fuel on the fire amid the divorce rumors.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship began with a frank, one-hour date in London.
It didn’t take long for the couple to start dating properly, and in 2018 the two tied the knot in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. At that stage, many believed the couple to be the royal family’s future. Of course, we all know by now how wrong those predictions were.
How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met
The beginning of Harry and Meghan’s relationship was, as is usually the case, a period of unbroken bliss. Yet, while they have since created a wonderful family of four, there have also been many ups and downs.
In the very beginning of their relationship, they seem to have kept things extremely private. Not even now-King Charles knew about it.
In December last year, Harry and Meghan released their Netflix documentary series. Through that, the Prince recounted in full how the couple met, revealing that Meghan first caught his eye on Instagram when she appeared in a mutual friend’s video.
In said video, Meghan wore a filter that gave her dog ears. It was apparently enough to get Harry’s interest.
“I was like, who is that?” Harry said in the documentary.
After that, one of their mutual friends introduced Meghan to Harry – and the rest, as they say, is history.
Meghan described how she was in London for the Wimbledon tennis tournament in July, 2016 when she and Harry made plans to meet.
They scheduled a dinner, though things probably could have gotten off to a better start. They had been scheduled to meet at Soho House in London, but the actress was forced to wait on her date for 30 minutes as he was running late.
“I couldn’t understand why he would be late,” Meghan said in the series. “But he kept texting. He was like, ‘I’m in traffic. I’m so sorry.’”
“I was panicking, I was freaking out,” Harry added. “I was, like, sweating.”
Harry was a “red ball of mess” at first date
Meghan explained that because she didn’t know Harry, she wondered if he was usually late.
“I was like, ‘Oh, is this what he does?’ Got it. Like this, I’m not doing. I’m not gonna sit…..”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Harry interfered.
“Like you’re one of those guys who have so much of an ego that any girl would sit waiting for a half hour for you,” Meghan continued. “I was just not interested in that.”
Once Harry walked into the restaurant, though, Meghan quickly realized his being late wasn’t part of any tactic or plan.
“I was a hot, sweaty, red ball of mess,” Harry recalled. “You were just so sweet,” Meghan added. “You were genuinely so embarrassed and late..”
The first date, which Meghan said was “refreshingly fun,” lasted about an hour. The next day, the couple met again – coincidentally, Meghan was five minutes late.
“I was like, ‘You can be as late as you want cause I ain’t moving,’” Harry reminisced.
He added: “That was when it just hit me like, this woman is amazing. She is everything that I’ve been looking for.”
“I think she’s the one”
Harry was over the moon when he started dating Meghan.
A friend who appeared in the couple’s documentary explained how happy and excited the Prince was.
“Guys, I met a girl,” the friend recalled Harry saying. “We just met, but I think she’s the one.”
Meghan, meanwhile, explained how she and Harry shared a special connection from the beginning. Though their relationship was initially long-distance – a secret to the world – it never stopped them.
“Everything was text and FaceTime, we’d talk for hours. It felt exciting but not in the way people would assume it would be,” Meghan said. “It was just relaxed and easy.”
On May 19, 2018, Harry and Meghan tied the knot in a grand ceremony at St. George’s Chapel.
While Harry and Meghan have accused the royal family of many things, what became somewhat shocking was what Meghan Markle herself had to say. The Duchess accused the royals of not caring about her mental health problems, and even one royal family member had questions about their firstborn son Archie’s skin color.
The couple went on to star in their own Netflix show, giving fans an insight into their new life in the US. However, their popularity continued in a negative downward spiral. Moreover, US showbiz media reported that people didn’t want to hang out with Harry or Meghan.
Harry and Meghan described as “low-grade reality stars”
According to Hollywood insider, broadcaster, comedian, and actor Tim Dillon, Harry and Meghan only want to spend time with celebrities because they see themselves as just that – celebrities.
“I know people in LA that know them, and all they want to do is hang out with celebrities. I was at a celebrity party the other night talking to somebody about this, and they go, ‘these people are just… it’s constant with them,’” Dillon said on the “They Come and Go” episode of his podcast, The Tim Dillon Show, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“She was texting the person I was with there – and, ‘no, you can’t come’. I shouldn’t have even been there. But the point is they just won’t stop, these two. They are just like moths to the flame trying to hang out… They’re like low-grade reality stars that are trying to attach to anything.”
Not only have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had a hard time, allegedly, with meeting people to hang out with. Just months ago, their mega deal with Spotify ended. On top of that, Spotify executive Bill Simmons lashed out at the couple, calling them “grifters.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that a source close to Spotify explained that Harry and Meghan didn’t meet the productivity benchmark required to receive all the money agreed on from the beginning. Reportedly, the deal was worth $20 million.
In total, Meghan released only 12 episodes of her podcast. Simmons, the company’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, actively spoke out against them.
Dropped by Spotify
Bill Simmons founded the Ringer podcast network, and in 2020 he sold his company to Spotify for around $200 million. According to The Guardian, he was handed a leadership role at the streaming company in the deal.
Speaking on his podcast, Simmons called the Sussexes “grifters.”
“I wish I had been involved in the ‘Meghan and Harry leave Spotify’ negotiation. The Fucking Grifters, that’s the podcast we should have launched with them,” Simmons said on the Bill Simmons podcast.
“I have got to get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories … Fuck them. The grifters.”
It wasn’t the first time Simmons has been vocal in criticizing Harry and Meghan. In January 2022, he shared that he was annoyed about having to “share Spotify” with Harry.
“You live in fucking Montecito, and you just sell documentaries and podcasts. Nobody cares what you have to say about anything unless you talk about the royal family, and you just complain about them,” Simmons said at the time.
Harry proposed to Meghan Markle in 2017 with a three-stone diamond engagement ring. It reportedly cost Hary around $150 000, and the center scone, a three-carat cushion-cut diamond, was sourced from Botswana, where the couple fell in love. Moreover, the two smaller round-cut diamonds on either side of the middle stone were borrowed from Princess Diana’s jewelry collection. Harry said it was to “make sure she’s with us on this crazy journey together.”
Meghan has pretty much always worn it on her left finger. However, last week, the Duchess was pictured without it. It comes after some rather sad rumors about Harry and Meghan’s relationship – which according to some, is cracking under the pressure.
In recent weeks, rumors of Harry and Meghan getting a divorce were covered by the American tabloid RadarOnline. They claimed that the couple was “taking time apart,” however, a source close to Harry and Meghan told Page Six that the claim was “literally made up.”
Rumors of Harry and Meghan divorce
Both Us Weekly and People reported on Harry and Meghan’s relationship and marriage, with Us saying that there was a reason why Harry and Meghan wouldn’t publicly comment on the reports of their “troubled marriage.” All in all, they have no intention of discussing any rumors.
“Harry and Meghan believe that feeding into that false narrative only gives it more attention,” the source told Us Weekly. “Sure, their relationship has challenges, but they are 100 percent committed to making their marriage work.”
A second source said, “So much of Harry and Meghan’s time together has felt like overcoming strife from all sides. They just do it together. They rely on each other for strength and always have.”
“There’s not too much work right now for either of them, so that does cause some issues of feeling isolated,” the second source continued, adding that the one thing they have tensions over is that Harry misses his friends in the UK.
“Back home, his summers were full of travel and weddings and exploring. Harry’s made friends in California, but they’re not like his London crew.” Still, the second source said that these days, Harry and Meghan “are together 24/7.”
The Sun reported that there had been some tensions in the Duke and Duchess’ marriage. But who doesn’t have that in a marriage?
An insider says, “they disagree sometimes on certain approaches. Meghan would love to be done with all the legal stuff. But she’s still supportive of him as she knows how important it is to him. But she is ready to move on. They have a beautiful life in California and new friends. Montecito is paradise. Harry is very outdoorsy, he loves it there.”
Meghan pictured without her engagement ring
Harry and Meghan are reportedly looking for a house in Malibu, which indicates they want to move closer to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, a royal insider told People that the couple doesn’t have a five-year plan for making it in Hollywood and that there isn’t a deadline for finding success.
Instead, royal life “wasn’t a world they wanted for their family. Everything else flows from that [desire to build a life outside of it], for whatever time period it takes.”
While Harry and Meghan’s marriage is or isn’t at its best, what happened last week had royal fans go wild. The Duchess was out on lunch with two friends, Kadi Lee, and Cleo Wade, celebrating a birthday. Most likely, it was a late birthday celebration for Meghan, as she celebrated her 42nd birthday on August 4, 2023.
Her friend Kad posted a picture of the three of them on Instagram – but fans noticed something was missing. A gold band replaced Meghan’s diamond ring.
Rumors rapidly spread about the couple, and the words of divorce seemed more likely than ever. However, there are several other suggestions as to why Meghan wasn’t wearing her engagement ring.
Louella Anderson, co-founder of the dating app So Syncd, said it could simply be trying out a different style.
“Meghan Markle has always had her own unique sense of style,” she told the Mirror. “It’s possible that her decision to change or remove the engagement ring reflects her evolving taste or desire for something different. She’s not over the top about her jewelry and usually chooses to keep her look quite simple and classic. Taking off the ring could be her way of expressing this personal preference for a less flashy look.”
Ring reportedly “being fixed”
Anderson added, “Meghan’s engagement ring was particularly large and may have been uncomfortable to wear on a day-to-day basis. It could be practicality that has caused her to take off the ring and opt for something more comfortable.”
Meghan Markle isn’t the only one within the royal spare that has been out in public without their engagement ring. Kate Middleton isn’t always wearing her sapphire and diamond engagement ring either, with one reason being “health and safety.”
Another reason could be, as a source tells Page Six, that the ring is “being fixed.”
As mentioned, royal insiders have denied that Harry and Meghan are even close to a divorce. Louella Anderson takes the same stance.
“There is speculation that Meghan has removed her engagement ring as a symbol of her and Prince Harry’s relationship status potentially being rocky,” she said. “However, it’s clear Meghan Markle still has a ring on her wedding finger. It’s just a much more understated and practical piece of jewelry and one that is likely more suited to her personal tastes.”
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