Harry and Meghan connected with younger audiences ‘not really there with the rest of the royal family,’ claims author

As Meghan Markle celebrates her 45th birthday, a royal author has argued that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from royal duties inflicted lasting damage on the British monarchy, while also contending that the circumstances leading to their exit were more complex than often portrayed.

Author Catherine Mayer, who wrote Divide & Rule, said the split between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and the royal family has weakened the institution’s ability to connect with younger generations.

“I believe that the rupture in the family that saw Meghan and Harry go to the United States has done very serious damage to the monarchy,” Mayer told Fox News Digital.

However, she stressed that she did not place sole responsibility on the couple.

“It’s often taken as a criticism: ‘Look what they’ve done to the monarchy.’ I think this has been very painful for everybody and for the institution,” she said, adding that recent opinion polls suggest support for the monarchy has declined.

Meghan and Harry’s appeal among younger audiences

According to Mayer, while controversies surrounding Prince Andrew have had a significant impact on the monarchy’s public standing, the departure of Harry and Meghan also created a generational gap within the royal family.

She argued that the Sussexes had a broader appeal among younger audiences that is difficult for the remaining working royals to replicate.

“The only ones who can potentially do it are Kate and William,” Mayer said, referring to the Prince and Princess of Wales. She added that there is no younger generation of senior royals between William and Kate and their eldest son, Prince George, to engage younger audiences.

Palace tensions and bullying allegations

Mayer also addressed allegations that Meghan bullied palace staff, claims that emerged publicly shortly before the couple’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

She said she had heard about tensions inside the palace long before the allegations surfaced, but cautioned against reducing the situation to a single narrative.

“I’d actually been hearing about friction in the palace for a very long time before the story surfaced,” Mayer said.

According to the author, the palace experienced significant internal conflict involving Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

“We’re talking about people who were very bruised by the experience, which includes her as well,” she said.

Mayer also suggested Meghan may not have fully understood the traditions and hierarchy governing the monarchy, where the sovereign and immediate heir always take precedence.

“I don’t think Meghan really understood that the monarchy will always give preference to the monarch and the immediate heir,” she said, adding that royal institutions become uneasy when an individual appears larger than the institution itself.

‘An uphill battle from the beginning’

Reflecting on her research, Mayer said she ultimately concluded that Meghan faced enormous institutional challenges from the outset.

“When I was writing this book, I really did go back and challenge my own assumptions about whether Meghan could have ever made a go of it,” she said, adding that she believed it was “highly unlikely” the former actress could have successfully adapted to royal life under those circumstances.

Mayer also defended Meghan over criticism she received for reenacting how she curtsied to Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan.

She argued that many people underestimate how unusual royal customs are, describing the monarchy as “essentially a medieval institution with some modern features grafted onto it.”

Royal rift remains

Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020, citing intrusive British media coverage and a lack of institutional support before relocating to California.

Since then, the couple have publicly discussed their experiences through interviews, documentaries and Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare, further straining relations with the royal family.

Earlier this summer, Meghan accompanied Prince Harry during part of his UK visit and attended a private meeting with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, marking her first return to England since 2022. However, security concerns prevented her and the couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, from participating in public engagements.

Although reports have suggested Meghan’s relationship with King Charles has improved following the family reunion, her ties with Prince William and Princess Kate are still widely described as distant.