Exclusive
HELPING HAND
‘Diva’ Meghan Markle had SO many chances to succeed as royal – she just didn’t fancy it, swipes expert
Watch our video above to see Arthur Edwards and Jennie Bond on our Royal Exclusive show
MEGHAN Markle was “given every opportunity to succeed as a royal but just didn’t fancy it”, royal experts have claimed.
Speaking at our first ever Royal Exclusive Live show, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond and Sun snapper Arthur Edwards revealed their experiences of Meghan joining the royal family.
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The royal experts were asked by a forum attendee whether Meghan had been properly advised by the palace on how to handle royal life.
The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson argued the former Suits actress had been given so many opportunities to succeed in the role.
He said: “I think the royal family gave her so many opportunities.
“They gave her staff, a house, paid for her wedding, gave her patronages, and made her a Commonwealth Trust ambassador.
More on Meghan Markle
“She had all these opportunities and was given so much to succeed.”
He added: “I think they gave her everything they could, I don’t think they could have given her any more, but in the end, she just didn’t fancy it.”
Royal photographer Arthur agreed, saying Meghan was “brilliant” and “fantastic” when she first started doing public engagements, but claimed she changed her mind on royal life.
He stated: “It was phenomenal, and I can’t tell you how unbelievably brilliant she was in that first year.
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“I don’t think she needed any briefing. She was a very wise lady and knew exactly what was required of her, and she did it.
“But then, she decided she didn’t want to do it anymore, and that was it.”
Harry & Meghan's Oprah interview was a disaster for key reason - they didn't learn from Diana & Andrew, says expert
Meghan wasn't 'nurtured'
Jennie disagreed and said that although Meghan should have spent more time deciding if royal duties were for her, she was not properly "nurtured" in the role.
She commented: “I think she didn’t really know what she was getting into, and I believe that’s why William was absolutely correct to warn Harry, or suggest to Harry, that he took it a little more slowly and give it more time.
“Not the strength of the love, but whether Meghan truly understood what she was getting into. William was so wise to give Catherine ten years to look in that “goldfish bowl” and think ‘can I hack it’.
I think they gave her everything they could, I don’t think they could have given her any more, but in the end, she just didn’t fancy it
Matt Wilkinson
“If Meghan had been given more time, she might have thought well no I can’t give up my independence.
“Meghan was fantastic. She could have been such a credit to the royal family.
"She was an independent, forthright woman with her own career, her own thoughts, charities, and causes.
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“She could have been exactly what a modern monarchy needs.
“But I think the monarchy, as I’ve said earlier, didn’t act as carefully as they should have done in nurturing what they could have had.”
However, Jennie did admit that she thought Meghan was a “bit of a diva”.
She continued: “She didn’t like what she saw and didn’t like having her wings clipped in that way. I think it’s a sad combination of misjudgments, really.”
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Meghan’s royal experience
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal duties in 2020, following their royal wedding in 2018 in Windsor.
In her March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan opened up about the difficulties she faced as a member of the royal family.
She admitted struggling with her mental health, and said: “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore.
“And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought."
I think the monarchy, as I’ve said earlier, didn’t act as carefully as they should have done in nurturing what they could have had
Jennie Bond
Speaking about being prepared for royal life, Meghan shared: “I would say I went into it naively because I didn’t grow up knowing much about the Royal Family.
“It wasn’t part of something that was part of conversation at home.
“It wasn’t something that we followed.
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MORE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SHOW
MEGHAN Markle was also branded a 'diva' on the show, while Prince Harry was dubbed 'deplorable' for his book Spare.
Jennie Bond blasted: "He was a very silly boy to write Spare, it was deplorable and stupid. He’s done the blood letting, now we want to move on."
Meanwhile the pair said Meghan couldn't hack royal life in the same way Princess Kate can - and revealed she was 'difficult' with the media.
Sun legend Arthur also regaled memories of his royal tours with Charles and Diana - and implied Harry and Meghan may be putting on a show like they did before their marriage crumbled.
During the hour-long event, the royal experts also discussed the future of a slimmed-down monarchy, shared tales of behind-the-scenes encounters with key royals and opened up about Kate and Charles' cancer battles.
You can watch the full Royal Exclusive Live show in the player above and .
“My mum even said to me a couple of months ago, ‘Did Diana ever do an interview?’
“Now I can say. ‘Yes, a very famous one’, but my mum doesn’t know that.”
She claimed she didn’t do much research into what the role would entail, and said that her perception was very different from the reality.
I would say I went into it naively because I didn’t grow up knowing much about the Royal Family
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Meghan continued: “I think, as Americans especially, what you do know about the royals is what you read in fairytales, and you think is what you know about the royals.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“It’s easy to have an image that is so far from reality, and that’s what was so tricky over those past few years, when the perception and the reality are two different things and you’re being judged on the perception but you’re living the reality of it.
“There’s a complete misalignment and there’s no way to explain that to people.”
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Megxit timeline
- November 2016 - Harry formally reveals he is in a relationship with Suits actress Meghan Markle.
- September 2017 - Meghan tells Vanity Fair the couple are in love and happy together.
- September 2017 - The couple make their first public appearance together holding hands at the Invictus Games in Toronto.
- November 2017 - Prince Charles issues a statement revealing Harry and Meghan are engaged.
- May 2018 - Harry and Meghan tie the knot, becoming Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
- October 2018 - The couple announce they are expecting their first child while on their first overseas tour in Australia.
- March 2019 - Harry and Meghan set up their own household, splitting their joint operation with Prince William and Kate.
- May 2019 - Meghan gives birth to a baby boy named Archie.
- October 2019 - Harry reveals his rift with his brother William in a bombshell documentary.
- January 2020 - The couple stun the Queen by announcing plans to quit senior roles and settle in North America. After ten days of talks at Sandringham, it's agreed the couple will no longer be working royals and will give up their "Royal Highness" titles.
- March 2020 - Harry and Meghan carry out their last official engagement and move to California.
- September 2020 - Netflix announces a huge deal with the couple.
- February 2021 - Buckingham Palace announces the couple's split as working members of the monarchy is permanent and they will lose their royal patronages.
- March 2021 - The palace says it is "very concerned" about allegations of bullying made by former staff of Harry and Meghan, launching a probe.
- March 2021 - Meghan tells Oprah Winfrey Archie wasn’t made a prince after “concerns and conversations” about “how dark” his skin would be when he was born. She claims Kate "hurt her feelings" and made her cry before her wedding. Harry says Charles has stopped taking his calls and he has been "cut off" financially.
- January 2023 - Harry publishes his tell-all memoir Spare, launching scathing attacks on William, Kate and Camilla. He says he and William once got into a physical fight over Meghan.
- April 2023 - Harry has a "heart-to-heart" talk with his dad before agreeing to come to the Coronation in London.
- September 2023 - Harry rejects an offer to spend the anniversary of the Queen’s death at Balmoral with his father.
- February 2024 - Prince Harry flies to the UK to be with his father as royal experts claim their four-year rift could be put aside. They meet for half an hour before Harry flies home. He does not meet William.
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