Sussexes Euro Escape: Is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Cozy Portugal Pad a Royal Power Play or Just a Way to Keep Up With 'Sly' Princess Eugenie?
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry purchased a home in Portugal near Princess Eugenie, which has many wondering if the move was a royal power play.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have long been rumored to be Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's only allies in the royal family.
Now, the royal rebels have moved only an hour from Prince Andrew's youngest daughter in Portugal, which has many wondering what ulterior motives are at play.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said the Sussex move "makes clear that they are connected closely to part of the royal family."
Eugenie and her sister, Princess Beatrice, have stepped up their public support for Prince William at various events. This increased presence has fueled speculation that William may assign them more prominent duties within the monarchy when he takes the throne.
Despite her growing alignment with William, however, Eugenie has also preserved a close relationship with Prince Harry, maintaining ties across the family divide. This "sly" tactic has many royal and Sussex fans wondering what the junior royal's motives truly are, and where her "loyalties lie."
Her connection to Meghan dates back to before the Duchess of Sussex and Harry became a couple. The two reportedly met through fashion designer Misha Nonoo, and both were guests at Nonoo’s wedding in 2012 to Alexander Gilkes, a close friend of Harry from their school years.
Regardless, Eugenie "remains one of Harry’s closest royal allies," according to an insider, with reports suggesting that she is the only member of the royal family to have visited the couple at their Montecito home.
After last year’s Invictus Games, the Sussex duo reportedly took a romantic three-night trip to Portugal. Sources suggest they may have stayed with Eugenie and Brooksbank, who own a home at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, where Jack is employed.
The Brooksbanks currently divide their time between Portugal and Nottingham Cottage near Kensington Palace — the former residence of Harry and Meghan.
There is growing speculation that the royal rebels are eager to establish a European base, possibly to "facilitate future tours, especially after the success of their recent trips to Nigeria and Colombia," the insider added.
A home closer to the U.K. would also support Harry’s renewed focus on charity work within Britain, a goal he has expressed with increasing clarity in recent weeks.
Despite the fresh locale, trouble in the Sussex union has been circulating after nearly a year of no such reports surfacing.
"She's just super controlling," a royal insider shared about the Diva Duchess. "She extends her tentacles to rein him back into her web anytime the old Harry we all thought was a dunce, but a lovable one comes crawling home. It is sad to see him grovel back like a dog with his tail between his legs."
An X commenter brutally dished, "They are so toxic. He has unresolved PTSD trauma from his mother's death, and she exploits that. She also seems to resent Harry in a way because she fought for fame her entire life and he had it before birth even."
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Glamour reported on the insider and expert revelations.
