Meghan Markle’s experience as a working royal faced challenges, described by Simon Vigar, a seasoned royal correspondent, as a “culture clash” with palace aides. Vigar explores these tensions in his book, “The Four Wives of Windsor.” A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment on the book, while Kensington Palace typically refrains from discussing such publications.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle visited a local farming family, the Woodleys, in Dubbo, Australia, during their royal tour on October 17, 2018. This tour was part of a broader visit to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga. According to Vigar, the tour exposed some initial cracks in Meghan’s role as a royal due to differences between the royal institution and the Hollywood environment she was familiar with.
Vigar stated, “There was a culture clash there. I believe egos got in the way on both sides, and it was an avoidable situation. Meghan expected more control over public events than she had.” He added that the narrative about the British media consistently opposing Harry and Meghan wasn’t his recollection, as he had observed Meghan excelling in front of crowds during her first engagement in Nottingham.
During their tour, Meghan’s pregnancy was announced, which in retrospect might have contributed to the visit highlighting the initial issues. Vigar mentioned that Meghan, who became the Duchess of Sussex after marrying Prince Harry in 2018, was used to a life where “everything was micromanaged,” as compared to the royal family’s less controlled public engagements.
Vigar recounted a specific incident at Suva Market in Fiji, where Meghan’s visit to meet female vendors was cut short. According to Vigar, this abrupt ending was attributed to a security issue by Team Sussex, but others disputed this explanation. He emphasized that if security was a real concern, additional precautions would have been taken beforehand.
Meghan’s brief time in the royal family illustrated mismatched expectations, an example being her inability to engage with women who had been waiting for her. These events highlighted an expectation gap, noted Vigar, as Meghan reportedly misunderstood the cultural demands of the royal family compared to her Hollywood experience.
During Meghan’s tenure as a working royal, reports surfaced concerning Jason Knauf, the communications secretary for the Sussexes, filing a bullying complaint against Meghan in 2018. While their lawyers denied these allegations, they emphasized Meghan’s disappointment over perceived attacks on her character.
Vigar argued that Meghan didn’t anticipate the institution’s intense scrutiny, unlike Harry, who understood the royal dynamics. This disconnect, as described by Vigar, stems from differences in familiarity with the British royal family and their customs.
The Duchess of Sussex was also noted for undertaking a rigorous schedule during the royal tour while pregnant, which Vigar described as intense. Royal aides highlighted that working royals are expected to fulfill engagements even when unwell.
Meghan and Harry’s transition to a non-working royal role started in 2020, with their eventual move to California, accompanied by criticism of the British tabloid press. They also expressed dissatisfaction with the level of support received from the royal institution. Amid these challenges, Meghan has firmly denied allegations of bullying and unfair treatment of palace staff.
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