Meghan Markle's 'crisis' over summer UK visit with Prince Harry and kids

Meghan Markle's 'crisis' over summer UK visit with Prince Harry and kids EXCLUSIVE: As the Sussexes reportedly plan their trip to Britain, a royal expert tells the Mirror that returning here won’t be easy but they must face the challenge With fresh scrutiny surrounding the Duchess of Sussex’s business and renewed focus on her husband’s relationship with the royal family, the Sussex family’s visit to the UK next month comes at a critical time for Meghan. It was widely reported recently that Prince Harry and Meghan are planning to bring Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to Harry’s homeland next month, ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. “They need to come, or more accurately, Meghan needs to come,“ royal author Ingrid Seward tells the Mirror. “She really needs a bit of royal stardust sprinkled on her and her business if she wants it to succeed. She’s probably hoping a visit to the UK would give her that, so she has to make it work somehow. “It could be a very good move for her business but it leaves her with a bit of a crisis because coming to a country where she is so disliked won’t be easy.” Recent weeks have seen a slew of rumours that there could be trouble ahead for Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle business, which she launched in April last year. One report claimed Meghan’s popularity among Americans fell in the first three months of this year and at the same time, “visits to her As Ever online shop also dipped”. While America’s Page Six claimed the former Suits actress could be “facing a $5 million jam” if she doesn’t manage to offload her jams, teas and flower sprinkles before they “go out of date” at the end of next summer. However, a Sussex spokesperson dismissed the claims that As Ever is facing financial difficulties or bankruptcy as “entirely false and based on speculation”, and said it continues to grow with “a strong customer community and an exciting pipeline of future products.” Since its launch, Meghan has faced criticism over everything from her products to questions about whether she’s cashing in on her royal status. The latest target was her As Ever advert ahead of Sunday’s Father’s Day, which pointed customers to a gift set with signature candle (and matches), herbal tea and a jar of honey – for $110 (£83). Posting on X, one person claimed Meghan “disowned her dad” while “trying to keep a royal title selling Father’s Day items”. According to Ingrid, if Meghan wants to build a brand that gives her financial stability and independence from Harry’s UK royal family, she needs the royal seal of approval. “The business and her relationships with the royal family are sort of symbiotic,” she explains. “Her branding is built on a Hollywood idea of royalty, it’s regal by Hollywood standards. It’s also a sort of influencer brand, so she needs to be an influencer with royal connections. She can’t be that unless she has some sort of relationship, ideally a good one, with the royal family.” Another element of Meghan’s predicament, Ingrid claims, is the challenge of flipping the largely negative public perception of her among the people who still “blame her for everything that’s gone wrong with Harry and his family”. “I don’t know how she’ll turn it around, because a lot of people feel that way,” Ingrid claims. “Coming here and facing that will be a challenge, but the last thing she wants is more rumours that she and Harry are getting divorced, if he were to come alone. She knows she’s under fire and the ‘under fire’ image isn’t good for her brand. She’s fighting in all corners so she needs to project a perfect image in order to keep building her brand and business.” Of course, any future UK visit also reignites questions about Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles, and wider family, who he said last year he would “love” to reconcile with. “There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious,” he told the BBC after losing his Court of Appeal battle over the level of security he and his family get on UK soil. Harry’s last in-person meeting with his father occurred in September last year, when they met at Clarence House for 54 minutes. Afterwards, details were allegedly leaked by someone who claimed the vibe was “distinctly formal” and that Harry presented his dad with a framed photo of his children. In response, Harry’s team blamed “sources intent on sabotaging” the reunion, and said the “formal” claim was “categorically false”. As such, Ingrid says any potential meeting next month will require meticulous planning but it’s unlikely either Team Sussex or Buckingham Palace will release details. “Arranging a last-minute visit and hoping to see King Charles would be a risk,” she claims. “His days are ordered down to the second, which is why he values his time off so greatly. “So if Harry, with or without his family, is hoping for more than 54 minutes, it will need to be very carefully planned as early as possible. But I’m sure the King would love to see and get to know Harry’s children. “He loves spending time with the younger generations of the family, we saw that at Trooping the Colour, and he’s always especially sweet with Prince Louis. It would be lovely for him to have that opportunity and time with Harry’s children too.”