Prince Harry is said to be "furious and humiliated" after Meghan Markle revealed in her new Netflix series With Love, Meghan that he was the first to say "I love you" during the early days of their relationship. Friends told RadarOnline.com the 40-year-old Duke of Sussex feels "emasculated" by the disclosure, which has reportedly deepened tensions within the couple's household.
In the second season of the series, Meghan, 44, told Queer Eye star Tan France about their third date in Botswana. "We met in Botswana and we camped for five days together," she said, recalling their time in a tent. When asked who first dropped the "L word," Meghan blushed before answering: "He told me." Flicking her ponytail, she added playfully: "She's still got it."
One insider described Harry's reaction as anger and embarrassment. "Harry is seething. He feels Meghan has made him look weak by boasting he was the first one to drop the love bomb. For a man who has spent his life trying to project strength, it stings. He told friends it makes him feel less of a man." Another source added that Harry believes "their private moments are being turned into entertainment and he wishes she would just shut up and stop making him look like her puppet."
The disclosure comes at a delicate time for the Sussexes' media ventures. Analysts have noted that their current Netflix deal is a step down from the $100 million agreement signed in 2020. "Netflix isn't giving them blank checks anymore. They're picking and choosing, and that pressure is showing on Harry and Meghan," a streaming industry insider said.
Despite Harry's discomfort, Meghan has leaned into their love story as part of her public image. She has recently described her husband as a "fox" and insisted the pair will be together "forever." Earlier this year, on Jamie Kern Lima's podcast, she recalled: "You have to imagine, at the beginning it's all butterflies - but then we immediately went into the trenches together."
Privately, however, sources suggest Harry is struggling not just with Meghan's portrayal of him but also with his life in California. One report claimed that the duke feels "less of a man" living in Montecito, far from the camaraderie and sense of identity he once had in the U.K. "No one understands Harry as well as his friends did back in the UK. The friendships that he's made in America just aren't the same," one insider said.
The sense of isolation has reportedly left Harry feeling trapped. "He's proud of his relationship, but he doesn't want to be cast as the lovestruck puppy," another source said. "Moments like this cut deep. He wants to be seen as strong, not the man who fell harder and faster. It's bruising for him."
