King Charles Allegedly Keeping a 'Close Watch' on Harry and Meghan as He Reshapes the Monarchy
King Charles is allegedly keeping a 'close watch' on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after their recent PR crises. Throughout 2025, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made many high-profile appearances that have placed them among Hollywood’s finest. While they look to build connections, Charles, who’s reportedly focused on improving the image of the modern monarchy, is keeping tabs on their plans.
After leaving their royal duties, the couple shifted to Montecito, California, and for the last five years have sought to widen their portfolio in the lifestyle sector. This is precisely what has alerted Palace aides and Charles. As reported by the Express, even the 'personal appearances' of the couple in Hollywood are closely monitored. Referring to Markle’s Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, the insider claimed “every public move affects how trust and perception are shaped within the family.” That attention is said to have been increased this year due to the couple’s controversial public appearances.
From Markle's Diana fiasco at Paris Fashion Week to the couple's appearance at Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday bash in Beverly Hills, the Sussexes, who have been in full-networking mode, have continued to grab headlines. “Harry and Meghan know attending high-profile events could have consequences for their standing in the monarchy, and must have weighed up the pros and cons of attending Kris' party before going,” the same source noted. While their mingling with A-listers came as a surprise, so did the deleted images afterwards.
Jenner and Kim Kardashian quietly removed their Instagram posts with the Sussexes, suggesting that Harry and Markle were fully aware of the optics and the risk of upsetting Charles. Another source opined that this appearance directly affected their chances of finally attending the annual royal Christmas at Sandringham. The Duke had a brief meeting with his father in September, following which both sides showed signs of reconciliation. However, despite the thawing of ice, the couple celebrated the holiday alone in California with their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. On why the couple wasn’t invited to Norfolk, an insider explained, “Charles wants Christmas to emphasize family and tradition.”
The source continued, “With his cancer treatment ongoing, this year it’s especially about calm and continuity, and showing the British public the royal family is about service and humility – despite their obvious wealth and privilege,” adding, “Harry and Meghan’s very public Hollywood involvement doesn’t sit comfortably with that form of branding.” Harry’s appearance on The Last Show with Stephen Colbert also ruffled some feathers with the Palace. While the Duke tried his hand at comedy by lip-syncing Alison Hammond’s iconic Great British Bake Off exchange with contestant Mark Lutton, critics branded him as being 'desperate' for attention.
Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi was among the harshest, calling Harry a 'thirsty attention seeker' and an embarrassment not just to his family but the country at large. “We’ve had a few days to digest the latest episode of Prince Harry embarrassing his family,” she argued, being less than thrilled about Harry’s latest professional endeavors.