Meghan Markle May Have To Pay A 'Price' For Her Return To The UK — Amid Two Major Events
Meghan Markle might return to the UK next year but she will likely not be able to keep her visit low profile then.
Usually there is calm before the storm, but in the case of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s return to the UK last month, it was exactly the opposite. Weeks before the couple even set foot on British soil, there was already a frenzy over the trip. But the actual visit didn’t quite live up to the hype. While the Duke of Sussex was often spotted at public events in his home country, Markle kept away from the glare of the cameras. However, 2027 will mark two big occasions in the UK, and the Duchess of Sussex might not be able to keep a low profile then.
Next year, the Invictus Games will take place in Birmingham from July 10th to 17th, and August 31st will mark the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. It is expected that Markle might accompany Harry on the UK trip, and since it will likely not be a quiet visit, the Duchess might have to pay a heavy 'price' for it. “There's no getting away from the fact that Meghan sharply divides opinion in this country,” royal expert Jennie Bond said via the Daily Express, “I'm sure she's aware that many people in the UK probably blame her for Harry's estrangement from his family, so she'll know that any public appearances at the Invictus Games or to commemorate Diana's death will risk drawing criticism from some quarters.”
During her Australia tour in April, Markle opened up about the online trolling she has been facing for a decade. And Bond acknowledged that the former senior working royal is aware of how she is perceived on social media. “ She's not daft, and she knows what comes with social media – and that is a lot of scrutiny and a lot of trolling. So we have to assume she's tough enough to take that kind of criticism, and that it's a price she'd be willing to pay if she does decide to come to the UK,” the royal expert added.
Since 2018, Markle has attended every single Invictus Games. It is highly unlikely that her appearance at the coveted tournament next year will be an issue. However, there is a possibility that old hatchets would be dug up on the occasion of Diana’s milestone death anniversary. Prince William and Kate Middleton would likely be as invested as the Sussexes in marking the solemn day.
“I'm sure Harry would want Meghan by his side if he takes part in any commemoration of his mother's death – we know that he has taken her at least twice to visit Diana's grave," Bond said, "But it would be a whole lot more difficult if William and Catherine were at the same event.” Given the strained relationship that William and Harry now share, the royal expert believes that at this “stage” neither of the two brothers “with or without their wives will agree to attend any events together”.
It is speculated that Harry and Markle took their two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to Althorp last month. It was probably the siblings’ first visit to their late grandmother’s grave.
