Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are making their final break from the shadow of Prince William and Kate Middleton, reported Page Six . The royals, who initially came together as an awesome foursome to promote several causes, are making a permanent split.
The gossip outlet reported that Markle and Prince Harry are leaving the Royal Foundation, the charity they ran with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The official split will be announced on Wednesday, reported Page Six . Reportedly the foundation will not be disbanded after the exit of Markle and Harry.
Page Six spoke to a royal source who claims that it is not an easy time at the foundation, citing “stress” ahead of the official split.
Despite this, Markle, Harry, and Middleton, along with Prince Charles’ wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, all sat together in a royal carriage for Queen Elizabeth’s annual birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, in early June. It was Markle’s first public appearance since the birth of her son with Prince Harry, Archie.
The sisters-in-law appeared friendly as they chatted while riding together toward Buckingham Palace. Continued rumors of a royal rift between the two appeared to dissipate at least during that public appearance. Both seemed at ease in one another’s presence, a throwback to what appeared to be happier times between the women when Markle first entered the sphere of the royal clan in 2017.
Rumors of a rift began to emerge shortly after the marriage of Markle and Harry in May 2018.
The Daily Express reported that one of the staff members cited part of the reason for the fall-out in their joint foundation work was that Prince William met his match in Markle, who is known for being just as outspoken.
William and Harry’s charitable initiative originally came together in 2009. Middleton joined the brothers in their work after she wed William in 2011. Markle joined the program in 2017.
William reportedly had reservations regarding his brother’s engagement to Markle, whom Harry knew for one year before sealing the deal in November 2017 with a ring containing a diamond sourced from Botswana and several of his mother Princess Diana’s heirloom stones. This set the stage for the struggles between the couples that were rumored to have followed.
It was also rumored that Middleton and Markle disagreed over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress, causing Middleton to break down over the argument, reported InStyle Magazine . Kate reportedly brought her daughter Princess Charlotte to her dress fitting before Markle and Harry’s wedding day and left in tears over the disagreement.
That incident appeared to be the tipping point in the relationship of the four, who put on a united front throughout Markle and Harry’s engagement and a subsequent lavish royal wedding.
Markle and Prince Harry will reportedly celebrate the christening of their first son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in July. The child’s godparents have not yet been announced.