According to royal author and expert Tom Quinn, Prince Harry may be facing a similar struggle as his father, King Charles III, did during his marriage to the late Princess Diana. Quinn suggests that just as Charles "hated Princess Diana stealing the limelight," Harry now finds himself "in the same position with Meghan Markle."
According to The Mirror, Quinn touched on the "poisonous issue" that plagued Charles and Diana's relationship throughout their marriage. "It's ironic that one of the most poisonous issues between Harry's mother and father was that wherever they went in the world Diana stole the limelight and Charles, as the future king, hated it," Quinn stated.
The royal author drew parallels between the past and present, noting that Prince Harry, who is "always rather diffident," is "permanently in his wife's shadow." Quinn pointed to the couple's recent trip to Nigeria, where Meghan was able to discuss her Nigerian heritage, as an example of how she "was always the center of attention."
Diana herself had confirmed Charles' jealousy in her controversial Panorama interview in 1995. "The pressure on us both as a couple with the media was phenomenal, and misunderstood by a great many people," she said. "We'd be going round Australia, for instance, and all you could hear was, 'Oh, she's on the other side.' Now, if you're a man like my husband, a proud man, you mind about that if you hear it every day for four weeks. And you feel low about it, instead of feeling happy and sharing it." The late Princess claimed that this caused "a lot of jealousy" and led to "a great deal of complicated situations."
While Quinn acknowledged that Prince Harry "doesn't mind for now," he suggested that "at the back of his mind there will always be the thought that once again he is always a side dish and never the main course."
The comments come in the wake of the Sussexes' recent tour of Nigeria, where they spent 72 hours promoting the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. The trip followed Prince Harry's solo visit to the United Kingdom for a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, during which he did not meet with his father due to conflicting schedules.
The dynamics between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been the subject of much scrutiny since the couple stepped back from their roles as senior members of the royal family in 2020. Their decision to leave the UK and establish a new life in the United States has further fueled speculation about their relationship and their standing within the royal family.
As the royal couple continues to navigate their new roles and pursue their own initiatives, comparisons to the past struggles of King Charles and Princess Diana are likely to persist. The echoes of the "poisonous issue" that plagued the former royal couple serve as a reminder of the challenges and pressures that come with being a member of the royal family, particularly when one partner's popularity overshadows the other.
While it remains to be seen how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship will evolve in the face of these challenges, the observations made by royal experts like Tom Quinn underscore the enduring fascination with the inner workings of the royal family and the complex dynamics that shape their lives.
As the Sussexes continue to forge their own path, the world will be watching to see how they navigate the challenges of their unique position and whether they can find a balance that allows both partners to shine in their own right, without one being relegated to the role of a "side dish."
