The relationship between King Charles and his youngest son, Prince Harry, has been strained in recent years, but the monarch has a touching image of his daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, on display at his London home.
The Queen invited children, supported by the organisations Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, to decorate the Christmas tree at Clarence House on Thursday, and the framed photograph could be seen on a table in the background.
The black and white shot shows the then Prince Charles arm-in-arm with blushing bride Meghan on her wedding day to Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018.
When Meghan’s estranged father, Thomas Markle, was unable to attend his daughter’s nuptials after suffering a heart attack, Charles stepped in to accompany his daughter-in-law halfway down the aisle.
WATCH: Meghan Markle kisses King Charles in sweet behind-the-scenes wedding moment
While it hasn’t always been visible, reports that the photograph was included among the personal ones on display first surfaced in 2020.
A frame inside Clarence House featured a picture of Charles and Meghan on her wedding day to Prince Harry
The snap of Charles and Meghan is placed next to an official portrait taken at Prince Louis‘s christening the same year, with the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge posing with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and a baby Prince Louis, as well as Charles and Camilla, and Harry and Meghan.
Paying tribute to his father in the 2017 BBC documentary, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, Harry spoke about the moment he asked Charles to walk his future wife down the aisle: “I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming, and he immediately said ‘Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs and I’m here to support you’. For him that’s a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he’s our father so of course he’s going to be there for us.”
The Sussexes also spoke about Charles’s role at their wedding in their Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, released in 2022, which documented their departure from the royal family in 2020.
“My father helped us choose an orchestra, which made all the difference,” Harry explained alongside clips of the orchestra serenading Meghan as she walked down the aisle.
Meghan added: “Harry’s dad is very charming and I said to him ‘I’ve lost my dad in this,’ so him as my father-in-law is very important to me.”
The King and Prince Harry were reunited for the first time in 19 months during a 55-minute meeting at Clarence House when the Duke returned to the UK in September.
Whether you prefer something naughty, like the animated movie “Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer” or nice, like classics “The Sound of Music” and “Home Alone,” streamers, cable and broadcast networks offer up festive choices in December.
Highlights this year include music specials with Derek Hough and Jimmy Fallon, the Rockefeller Tree lighting hosted by Reba McEntire, Lacey Chabert’s latest Hallmark Channel movie, NFL games and even cozy mysteries with a Christmas theme.
Here are some highlights.
Dec. 1
— “Dancing with the Stars” judge Derek Hough hosts the annual “The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular” on ABC. Popular recording artists including Nicole Scherzinger, Gwen Stefani, Trisha Yearwood and Mariah the Scientist put their own spin on Christmas classics. Streams next day on Hulu and Disney+.
Dec. 3
— Reba McEntire hosts NBC’s annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” which culminates in the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in New York’s Rockefeller Center. This year’s tree is a Norway spruce from Greenbush, New York. It has more than 50,000 colored lights and is topped with a Swarovski star that weighs 900 pounds. The special will also stream live on Peacock.
(Jake Rosenberg/Netflix via AP)
(Jake Rosenberg/Netflix via AP)
— Some people find holiday prep daunting. It comes naturally to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, whose life seems to be a Pinterest page. She’s got ideas to share in a special episode of Netflix’s “With Love, Meghan” lifestyle series. In “With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration,” Meghan taps guests including Naomi Osaka and Tom Colicchio to bake, make treats with holiday flair and craft. “Being a hostess or a host, it’s about making people feel comfortable,” the royal says.
Dec. 5
— In the new Apple TV special, “The First Snow of Fraggle Rock,” the Fraggles are anxiously waiting for snow to kick off their festive season. Instead, a single snowflake falls, leaving Gobo, feeling uninspired to write an annual holiday song. For the first time, he ventures into the human world to seek out ideas. The special is a reminder that unplanned moments can also come with their own magic.
— Roku Channel has a follow-up to the holiday romance “Jingle Bell Love” starring Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block and Michelle Morgan. In “Jingle Bell Wedding,” Jack and Jessica are engaged and looking forward to a New Year’s Eve wedding. They’re also in charge of organizing an annual Christmas concert. Will all the planning derail their relationship?
Dec. 6
(Roku/OWN/Hallmark Channel via AP)
(Roku/OWN/Hallmark Channel via AP)
— Lacey Chabert works for Santa Claus in the new Hallmark Channel movie “She’s Making a List.” Chabert plays Isabel, whose job is to track kids’ behavior throughout the year. Isabel’s strict rules lighten up a bit when she’s assigned to report on an 11-year-old whose father Jason (Andrew Walker) is a widower. Chabert and Walker previously co-starred in a Valentine’s Day movie for Hallmark in 2018. “She’s Making a List” also streams on Hallmark+.
— The OWN original, “The Christmas Showdown,” reunites Amber Stevens West and Corbin Reid from the acclaimed Starz comedy “Run the World.” They play former besties competing for the same job who learn it’s better to work as a team. Loretta Devine also stars.
Dec. 7
— How about a cozy mystery this Christmas? UPtv offers the new film “A Christmas Murder Mystery.” Vera Vexley is a puzzle editor for her local newspaper who also has a side-gig as a detective. When Vera’s invited to spend the holidays with family friends, a murder launches her into investigative-mode and everyone is a suspect.
Dec. 9
— A new two-hour, faith-based special tells the story of Mary, Joseph and the birth of Jesus in “Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas” for ABC. The Oscar winner serves as host and narrator.
Dec. 10
— Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox co-star in a new holiday rom-com called “Merv” for Prime Video. The pair play exes who share joint custody of their dog Merv. When Merv is visibly depressed because his human parents are no longer together, they take him on a trip to cheer him up.
Zooey Deschanel, left, and Charlie Cox in a scene from “Merv.” (Wilson Webb/Amazon Content Services via AP)
Zooey Deschanel, left, and Charlie Cox in a scene from “Merv.” (Wilson Webb/Amazon Content Services via AP)
— The animated movie “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” is an adaptation on the farcical song of the same name. In the special, airing on The CW Network, a boy sets out to find his missing grandmother on Christmas Eve.
Dec. 11
— The Dolly Parton song, “Coat of Many Colors” comes to life in a TV movie airing for the first time on the CW. Set against the Smoky Mountains in the 1950s, it’s about the Parton family and how their love, faith — and a patchwork coat — help them to move past tragedy. Alyvia Alyn Lind plays young Dolly and Jennifer Nettles and Rick Schroeder portray her mom and dad. “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors” originally debuted in 2015.
Alyvia Alyn Lind in a scene from “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors.” (The CW Network via AP)
Alyvia Alyn Lind in a scene from “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors.” (The CW Network via AP)
— Jimmy Fallon’s musical comedy special from last year gets a repeat. In “Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular,” the “Tonight Show” host searches a New York apartment building for the holiday spirit and encounters different celebrity guests behind each door. Jonas Brothers, Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J, the Roots and “Weird Al” Yankovic all appear.
Dec. 12
— AMC’s annual holiday programming includes a marathon of Will Ferrell’s “Elf” beginning at 6 p.m. It broadcasts back-to-back for eight-hours.
— In “A Suite Holiday Romance” for Hallmark Channel, Jessy Schram stars a ghostwriter who checks-in to a fancy New York hotel for a job writing a memoir. She meets a handsome Brit (Dominic Sherwood) and the two experience a series of misunderstandings until they realize they’re meant to be.
Dec. 14
— HGTV returns to the White House at Christmas for a one-hour special that goes behind-the-scenes of its decorating transformation at the holidays. It also streams next day on HBO Max and Discovery+.
— On the first night of Hanukkah, Hallmark Channel premieres the new movie “Oy to the World!” When the pipes burst at a local synagogue, a church opens its doors for an interfaith service. Brooke D’Orsay and Jake Epstein play choir directors who were also rivals in high school that must work together to put on a successful event for all.
Dec. 15
— Acorn TV has a two-part Christmas special of “The Madame Blanc Mysteries” airing Dec. 15 and Dec. 22. British actor Sally Lindsay plays antique dealer Jean White, who visits the France museum Maison Sainte-Victoire on Christmas Eve to authenticate an Ormolu box once owned by Marie Antoinette. It’s discovered that the box contains a ticking time bomb and Jean and her team have just 90 minutes to diffuse it.
Dec. 16
(Johan Persson/PBS via AP)
(Johan Persson/PBS via AP)
— “The Nutcracker” ballet is a Christmas classic, and PBS is offering a reimagined version taped at the London Coliseum. Still set to Tchaikovsky’s score, this version centralizes Clara’s story and is set in Edwardian London where a street scene has dancing chimney sweeps and suffragettes. “Great Performances: Nutcracker from English National Ballet” will also be available for streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app.
Dec. 20
— Lifetime is jumping on the pickleball popularity bandwagon with the new movie “A Pickleball Christmas.” It stars James Lafferty as a tennis pro whose family’s racquet club is on the brink of closing its doors. He and a tennis instructor take part in a holiday tournament to save the day.
Dec. 21
— Tate Donovan and Jillian Murphy star in a new Christmas movie for Great American Family called “Mario Lopez Presents: Chasing Christmas.” In the film, Donovan plays a morning show host and Murphy a designer who team up to make a child’s Christmas wish come true. Lopez’s son Dominic also has a role.
— The Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer classic “The Sound of Music” airs on ABC.
Dec. 24
— “Home Alone” airs on ABC. The film made Macaulay Culkin a child star for playing a boy whose parents accidentally leave him home when their large family hurries off on a Christmas vacation. He’s left to defend his house against two clumsy burglars.
Dec. 25
— Netflix is gifting us with football on Christmas again this year. The Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders game is at 1 p.m. Eastern followed by the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.
Meghan Markle is facing criticism over the latest drop from her “As Ever” collection.
On Saturday, the Duchess of Sussex shared a video of herself on Instagram, placing a gift into a beige-and-brown stocking amid a backdrop of neutral-toned Christmas décor.
“Oh, we see you! Not even Thanksgiving yet, and you’ve already got this in the bag,” Markle captioned the post, in which she wore an olive-colored dress.
The muted aesthetic sparked conversation online, with some social media users noting the irony.
Meghan Markle faced intense backlash over her beige-themed Christmas collection, with some social media users pointing out the irony. (Getty Images/Meghan Markle Instagram)
Many pointed out Markle’s past comments about having to wear neutral tones as a working member of the royal family as a way to blend in.
“A color scheme can be a beautiful thing, but a Christmas one based on the color brown is tricky as all get out! She and the artistic team missed the mark in a very big way w/this pretentious attempt at chicness,” one user wrote on X.
“She just can’t be honest and admit that she likes beige,” one user quipped. “And there is nothing wrong with that. The only problem is, she should just admit that she lied about having to wear the color while in the UK.”
“There she is, the woman finally free to wear bright colors!” another wrote.
In Netflix’s 2022 series, “Meghan & Harry,” Markle opened about the reasoning behind her wardrobe choices.
“Most of the time I was in the UK, I rarely wore color,” she said in the series. “To my understanding, you can’t ever wear the same color as Her Majesty if there’s a group event, but then you also shouldn’t be wearing the same color as one of the other more senior members of the family.”
“I wore a lot of muted tones, but it was also so I could just blend in,” she continued. “I’m not trying to stand out here. There was no version of me [that was] joining this family and trying not to do everything I could to fit in. I don’t want to embarrass the family.”
Markle said she wore neutral tones in an attempt to blend in. (Samir Hussein)
The backlash comes weeks after Markle and Prince Harry experienced a shake-up within their team.
Emily Robinson, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s director of communications, stepped down just four months after assuming the role, People magazine reported.
“Ms. Robinson oversaw project-based work for a very successful season of ‘With Love, Meghan’ and additional support for the production company,” a spokesperson from Archewell, which handles the offices for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, told Fox News Digital. “She did an excellent job and completed these projects with great success.”
The sudden departure has reignited scrutiny of the Sussexes’ business empire in Hollywood, especially as Meghan, 44, attempts to brand herself as an entrepreneur.
“This most recent departure simply adds to the ongoing instability and brand confusion within the couple’s discombobulated operations,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.
“It’s a clear indication that Meghan Markle’s ambition to reshape her public image with a polished team is failing,” Fordwich claimed. “The optics are ghastly as it really enforces the negative image of chaotic brand control, at best, as well as Meghan’s dwindling influence.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle experienced a shake-up within their staff last month. (Karwai Tang)
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously told Fox News Digital that about 20 people have left their roles working for the Sussexes. The couple stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California.
“There is growing evidence to support the rumors that Meghan Markle struggles to follow the direction of her advisors,” royal expert Kinsey Schofield of YouTube’s “Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered” told Fox News Digital.
“Former staff tell me that she appears receptive to advice, acts as if she will execute it in the way that it has been presented, and then does the complete opposite,” Schofield claims. “Meghan blames the media and public for misinterpreting or misunderstanding her. It’s an exhausting cycle, and for many who have worked with her, ultimately an unsustainable one.”
After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently attended Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party, there has been a lot of talk about what message that sends. The Kardashian family is, after all, super famous, but has its share of detractors. And if there was one place people did not expect to see royalty, it was at Kris Jenner’s party. And now, some reports are saying that Prince Harry was not very happy to be there.
Despite pictures that show him looking pretty relaxed during the party, one expert is claiming Harry is “fed up of being paraded” at events such as this one. The Daily Mail reported that the Duke of Sussex’s body language indicated he was not happy.
Royal author Tom Bower told the outlet, “It’s noticeable that Harry is unable to stage the rictus smile which actress Meghan always displays for the cameras.” He added that Harry “looks fed up being paraded, one day at sports match and on another day at a celeb party.” Not just that, Bower speculated that Harry is “now worried what revenge his brother might one day carry out against himself and his ambitious wife.”
As for Markle, Bower said, “For the first time, she is mixing with A-list celebs. That’s a great coup for a Duchess searching for security and approval.” He added that this is a way for Markle “to be noticed.”
The party was attended by a who’s who of celebrities, including Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton, Oprah Winfrey, and Snoop Dog, among others. And, as photos of the party started to come out, both Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian included multiple photos of Harry and Meghan on their Instagram posts about the even. However, those photos were quickly deleted.
But why? Reports about the reasoning are conflicting. DeuxMoi speculated “that the removal of these images may be linked to Markle not wearing the traditional red Remembrance poppy—a small but symbolically significant detail in the U.K. during November.”
Rob Shuter’s ShuterScoop claims that the pictures were taken down at the personal request of Harry and Meghan. The couple reportedly asked that the “unapproved” photos be deleted and were said to be “furious” that they even went up without their permission.
“They were polite but firm—nothing goes online without their sign-off,” a source explained to the gossip journalist. “They’ve built their brand on control, and they weren’t about to let a Kardashian post ruin that.”
And reportedly, the Kardashian family wasn’t too pleased about that. “Kris doesn’t like being told what to do—especially not by royals who live in Montecito. She said if Meghan and Harry want control, they can have it—just not on her guest list.”
It was already kind of weird to see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a purely Hollywood party, and if those reports are to be believed, we might not see them at another one like this soon. But considering the pictures that were deleted, whatever decision was made to attend, it was probably made by Harry and Meghan together.
After eight years away from acting, Meghan Markle is making her Hollywood comeback with a small role in Close Personal Friends, an Amazon MGM comedy about two couples—one famous, one civilian—costarring Lily Collins and Brie Larson. According to reports, the Duchess of Sussex will play herself in the film, which also stars Jack Quaid and Henry Golding. And she has already been spotted on set. “She was joking that she felt a bit rusty, but it was obvious that she had rehearsed and that it was a big deal for her to be back,” a source told People on Monday of Meghan’s return.
Directed by Jason Orley, according The Hollywood Reporter,Close Personal Friends tells the tale of two lovers who meet a celebrity couple on a trip to Santa Barbara, California—which, coincidentally, is not far from the Montecito compound where Meghan has been living with her husband, Prince Harry, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Vanity Fair has reached out to Meghan’s representative for comment.
Once upon a time, before Meghan married Harry in 2018, she famously played lawyer Rachel Zane on the Canadian series Suits, which had a sudden resurgence on streaming during summer 2023. Her final episode aired on April 25, 2018, with her character walking down the aisle just three weeks before Meghan did herself, becoming a Duchess and effectively halting her acting career. “I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change,” Meghan said during her official engagement interview alongside Prince Harry in 2017. “I’ve been working on my show for seven years. So we’re very, very fortunate to be able to have that sort of longevity on a series, and for me, once we hit the 100-episode marker, I thought, You know what, I have ticked this box.”
Now, after two seasons headlining her own lifestyle talk series, With Love, Meghan, Meghan is returning to scripted film and TV. But unlike other performers who have made buzzy exits from acting, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz, less is known about Meghan’s past oeuvre. She was so under the radar pre–Prince Harry that she couldn’t even get booked on Bravo’s freewheeling late-night series, Watch What Happens Live, Meghan recounted on a 2022 episode of her now-shuttered podcast, Archetypes. Host Andy Cohen jokingly called it “the biggest blunder in the 13 years of the show.”
Ahead, all the TV and movies to revisit before her return to the big screen.
Prince Harry, accompanied by Meghan Markle, came for a baseball game and left with a new controversy. On October 28, the Sussexes attended the fourth game of the World Series, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. The couple sat in the front row behind the dugout, all smiles, with Los Angeles team caps on their heads, cheering for their adopted hometown team.
But Prince Harry made the mistake of wearing a Dodgers cap. As soon as he was spotted wearing the bright blue accessory, some Canadians accused him of betraying his heritage: Canada is a Commonwealth country whose head of state is King Charles III. Arriving in Canada on Wednesday for a two-day visit to commemorate Remembrance Day, celebrated on November 11, Prince Harry was naturally asked about what has jokingly been deemed “hatgate.”
“Is there anything you’d like to say about wearing that Los Angeles Dodgers cap last week and getting in hot water?” he was asked by CTV News on Thursday.
“Oh, the Los Angeles Dodgers cap. Well, firstly, I’d like to apologize to Canada for wearing it,” he explained. “Secondly, I was under duress, there wasn’t much choice,” he added with a smile. Invited to the game by the Dodgers’ owner, he thought it was “polite” to do so. Prince Harry confided that there was an additional reason for his choice of headgear. “When you’re missing a lot of hair on top and you’re sitting under floodlights, you’ll take any hat that’s available,” he joked.
Some view King Charles’s unprecedented decision to formally remove Andrew’s titles as a warning to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
“There’s a clear message from the very top,” says a source close to the royals. “William is ruthless when it comes to the monarchy and protecting its reputation. If anyone—and that includes the Sussexes—[is] seen to be damaging the reputation of the monarchy, there will be serious repercussions. Harry wants to come back to Britain more. Charles has opened the door, but William is more cautious. He’s tough and resolute and very protective of his family, and he will allow no one to damage it.”
According to another source, William spent time with his father in Scotland last month discussing how to deal with what is apparently known as “the Andrew problem.”
“The king doesn’t like confrontation and had concerns about cutting Andrew out completely. He is worried about Andrew being a loose cannon. William has been much firmer from the outset. He has no sentimental attachment to Andrew; he thinks he is toxic and wants him as far away as possible.
They both agreed the family needed to distance itself from Andrew, and robust action needed to happen. On that, they were absolutely aligned.”
In recent weeks, leaked emails emerged showing that Andrew continued to keep in touch with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein for some time after he claimed he cut off contact in a 2019 Newsnight interview with journalist Emily Maitlis. Soon after, Andrew’s princely status and royal orders were revoked.
Meghan Markle is returning to the big screen with a role in the upcoming film Close Personal Friends.
Markle, who starred in Suits for seven seasons, will have a small cameo role in the movie as herself, according to Variety.
Close Personal Friends, a comedy starring Lily Collins, Jack Quaid, Brie Larson and Henry Golding, is currently filming around Los Angeles. Other cast members include Natasia Demetriou, Patti Harrison and Dustin Demri-Burn.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, was photographed on the set of the film in Pasadena, Calif., wearing sunglasses as she got into the backseat of a Range Rover.
The film centres on a couple “that meets and befriends a celebrity couple while on a trip to Santa Barbara. Personal lines get crossed, among other things, and awkward hilarity ensues,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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Before marrying Prince Harry in 2018, Markle starred in the legal drama series Suits, playing Rachel Zane from 2011 until 2018. Her other film roles include Get Him to the Greek, Remember Me and Horrible Bosses.
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The famous couple stepped back from royal duties in 2020, moved to the U.S., and, since then, they have launched numerous initiatives, including a Netflix production deal and their media company, Archewell Productions.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle make surprise appearance at Santa Barbara benefit
“My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonate globally, and celebrates our shared vision,” Markle said in a statement.
Archewell Productions began collaborating with Netflix in 2020, producing a handful of documentary content, including the popular series, Harry & Meghan. The Duchess of Sussex also developed a lifestyle brand, As Ever, in partnership with Netflix.
The collaboration has also produced the documentary series Polo, Heart of Invictus and Live to Lead.
The couple and the streaming service also announced upcoming collaborations, including a second season of With Love, Meghan, a lifestyle and cooking show starring Markle. The show will also receive a special holiday episode in December.
Archewell Productions is also set to work with Netflix on a feature adaptation of Carley Fortune’s novel, Meet Me at the Lake, which “follows a decade-spanning love story that begins with a chance encounter and a broken promise.”
Fortune, a popular Canadian writer, previously said the book’s love story is “dear to my heart,” adding that she can’t imagine “a more perfect partnership.”
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She also said writing the book was “a tremendous personal challenge,” and to see it recognized in this way is truly incredible.
Meghan Markle is reportedly returning to acting for the first time since walking away from the profession after she and Prince Harry became engaged seven years ago.
Markle was spotted on the set of “Close Personal Friends” Nov. 5 in Pasadena, California, People magazine reported.
The movie stars Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding. Markle will reportedly play herself in the film.
A source confirmed to the outlet that Markle seemed “relaxed and happy” with her small role in the movie.
Meghan Markle was spotted on a movie set Wednesday.(Kola Sulaimon)
“Meghan was on the set today. She has a small part. She seemed very relaxed and happy. She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth,” the insider told People.
Archewell and Amazon MGM Studios did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Meghan Markle is reportedly returning to acting for the first time since her engagement and marriage to Prince Harry.(Netflix)
Following her engagement to Harry, Markle walked away from her role on “Suits.” Markle portrayed Rachel Zane for seven seasons in the drama.
An Amazon MGM Studios source told The Sun Markle has been “swamped” with acting offers, but she opted to decline them until this opportunity came along.
“This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves. She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right,” the source said.
“Suits” starred Patrick J. Adams as Mike Ross, Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen, Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter, Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt and Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane, all employees of a law firm.(Getty Images)
“It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set. Everyone involved is super excited and have been sworn to secrecy about her involvement.”
In 2020, Harry and Markle stepped away from their royal duties and later moved to Montecito, California. They share two kids together, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Prince Harry is reportedly in support of his wife.(Chris Jackson)
In 2017, Markle gave an interview with Harry, announcing their engagement and her decision to leave acting behind.
“I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not.”
“I don’t see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change,” Markle said at the time, according to People.
“It’s a new chapter. Right? And also keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years. So, we’re very very fortunate to be able to have that sort of longevity on a series. And, for me, once we hit the 100-episode marker, I thought, ‘You know what, I have ticked this box, and I feel really proud of the work I’ve done there. And now it’s time to, as you said, work as a team with you.’
“I think what’s been really exciting as we talk about the transition out of my career and into my role is the causes that are really important to me that I can focus even more energy on.
“Very early out of the gate, I think you realize you have access or a voice that people are willing to listen, and with that comes a lot of responsibility, which I take seriously,” she added.
In 2022, Markle was asked by Variety if she would return to acting.
“I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not,” she replied.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry packed on the PDA while celebrating after the Los Angeles Dodgers triumphed over the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series.
On Saturday, the Dodgers became back-to-back World Series champions when they defeated the Blue Jays in the 11th inning of Game 7. In a video shared on her Instagram Story, Markle, 44, and Harry, 41, were seen watching the game’s conclusion with the former “Suits” actress’s friend Kelly Mckee Zajfen.
In the black and white clip, which appeared to be taken inside the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s private theater room, Harry and Zajfen were seen sitting in chairs while Markle was heard shrieking excitedly off camera.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry kissed in a video that the former “Suits” actress posted after the Dodgers won the World Series. (Joe Scarnici/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Markle was then seen cheering and crying out “Oh my God!” as she walked over to Harry’s chair and planted a kiss on his lips while Zajfen clapped. She and Zajfen then jumped up and down before hugging. Meanwhile, Harry, who remained seated, looked on and chuckled with amusement.
While Markle and Harry had both previously appeared to be supporting the former actress’s hometown team, Zajfen hinted that their loyalties were divided.
Markle cheered as she walked over to Harry’s seat. (Meghan Markle/Instagram)
Markle bent over and kissed Harry while celebrating her team’s win. (Meghan Markle/Instagram)
The Alliance of Moms founder shared Markle’s latest clip on her own Instagram Story, writing, “Best game ever!!! Sorry H your team didn’t win but mine diiiiiiiiid. @dodgers I LOVE YOU!!!!”
However, some of Markle’s critics on social media slammed her celebratory video as inauthentic.
“LOOKS SO FAKE,” one X user wrote along with a “Staged” GIF.
“So scripted,” added another along with a string of crying-laughing emojis.
“Load of performative fakery! She just so happened to have a camera set up,” one detractor wrote.
The “Suits” actress and her friend jumped up and down after the Dodgers’ win. (Meghan Markle/Instagram)
Markle and Zajfen hugged in celebration. (Meghan Markle/Instagram)
“This is irritating to see,” another added. “Fake AF. Of course it was NOT staged because, you know, the camera was perfectly positioned to capture everyone. Oh my gosh! Look how happy we are and so into each other. See, we have a friend and it’s not my bottle of wine.”
Another fan pointed to Zajfen’s post, noting, “He was a [Dodgers] fan the other day, but after the backlash, he’s now a Blue Jays fan. Pair of clowns.”
On Tuesday, Markle and Harry both rocked blue Dodgers caps as they attended Game 4 of the 2025 World Series at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium.
While Markle is an LA native and a longtime Dodgers fan, Harry’s show of support for the team surprised some fans, who commented online that they believed that the royal should root for the Blue Jays due to Canada’s constitutional link to the United Kingdom.
Zajfen teased Harry over the Dodgers’ victory in her own post. (Kelly Mckee Zajfen/Instagram )
While at the game, the couple color-coordinated their ensembles with Markle wearing a white button-down shirt with a navy sweater draped over her shoulders with dark pants, while Harry donned a navy blazer over a white T-shirt with dark trousers.
The couple were spotted seated in the front row behind home plate, ahead of baseball icon Sandy Koufax.
Harry and Markle’s seating placement drew ire from online critics as well as New York Mets broadcaster Howie Rose, who said Koufax shouldn’t take a back seat to anyone.
“How does Sandy end up in the second row?” Rose posted on X.
Harry and Markle look on from the stands during game four of the 2025 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 28, 2025 in Los Angeles.(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Koufax, 89, is one of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history. The Brooklyn-born Koufax spent his entire career with the Dodgers.
Markle and Harry sit in front of Dodger legend Sandy Koufax as they watch game four of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2025.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images))
However, Koufax appeared unbothered by the seating arrangement as he was photographed having a friendly interaction with the couple.
It was to be expected. Once the video featuring Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s kids was shared online, the speculation about the kids would quadruple. And though the video wasn’t up for that long, and didn’t really show their faces as clearly, just in passing in the background, there is indeed way more interest today about them and their future—inside or outside the royal family.
According to RadarOnline.com the post even has media analysts questioning whether Markle is planning for her children’s future. Markle posted a video of her family enjoying an early Halloween trip to Lane Farms in Santa Barbara before returning home to carve pumpkins. In the video of Prince Harry carving a pumpkin, the kids can be seen playing.
Now the outlet reports from a source, “Meghan understands the level of fascination with her family online. Showing Archie and Lili more openly isn’t just about sharing sweet moments – it’s a deliberate move to guide how the public sees them. There’s a clear strategy behind it.”
This is the first time the public has gotten a clear glimpse of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in years, which is why some people don’t believe it was a mistake.
A Los Angeles-based entertainment executive said, “The Sussexes have built a global brand around family, wellness, and authenticity. Meghan understands that social media is the future of that brand – and if she’s relaunching herself online, her children will inevitably be part of the story. She is clearly eyeing them as future influencers with the power to earn millions of dollars from brand posts.” And the kids have the potential to be “money-spinning influencers” indeed.
Both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been open about what they see as the dangers of social media in young people, with Harry saying that the digital world has “fundamentally changed how we experience reality,” and Markle explaining, “We’ve been really conscious about protecting our kids as best we can and understanding the role they play in this really historical family.”
Another source defended the decision to show the kids online. “Meghan’s not using her kids for attention – she’s taking charge of how they’re seen. If the media is going to pursue her family regardless, she’d prefer to control the narrative herself.”
Not that long ago, after Markle posted a photo of her kids on the set of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, royal expert Hugo Vickers told The Sun that the glimpse of their children might not sit well with Harry. “He [Prince Harry] ought to be extremely annoyed. Obviously, I don’t know what he thinks, but I think he does what he’s told probably,” he said. “You know, what worries me much more, to be quite honest, is what the children themselves are going to think when they get a little bit older and they realise how they’ve been exploited.”
Right now, the kids are too young to decide for themselves what they want to do in the future, and a quick and blurry video with their faces in the background isn’t nearly enough to make any judgments on Prince Harry or Meghan Markle.
While many of our favourite celebrities are like royalty in our eyes, you may be surprised to learn just how many of them are related to actual royalty. What’s more, many of them share common ancestors, meaning some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are also related too.
From the two pop queens linked to Queen Camilla, to the American celeb thought to be the closest American relative to the late Queen Elizabeth II, these stars’ family trees stretch across centuries of European history, revealing a web of royal connections you definitely never expected. HELLO! takes a look at the famous faces you never knew were secretly of royal descent…
It seems pretty fitting that Beyoncé – regularly referred to as Queen Bey – is related to a real-life queen. The Texas Hold ‘Em singer is Queen Elizabeth II‘s 25th cousin once removed, connected by their shared ancestor, Henry II, who ruled in the 12th century. The singer is no stranger to rubbing shoulders with royalty either – she shared a heartfelt meeting with the Duchess of Sussex at the premiere of Disney‘s The Lion King in 2019, telling Meghan, “We love you guys”.
The “Queen of Pop” is more than just music royalty – she’s actually related to Queen Camilla. Madonna and the Queen are ninth cousins once removed, and are both descendants of Zacharie Cloutier, a 17th century French-Canadian who was a founding figure in the Quebec colony. A master carpenter who was a “bourgeois seigneur” – a person of considerable wealth – Zacharie and his wife Xainte Dupont have thousands of descendants today, and we’re still hoping for a Madonna and Camilla meet-up.
He may have only played a king in The Return, but it turns out actor Ralph Fiennes is actually the eighth cousin of King Charles himself. The Harry Potter actor and The King are both descendants of King James II of Scotland, who succeeded to the Scottish throne at six-years-old during the 1400s. Ralph told People magazine about the time Charles visited the set of the James Bond film Spectre, revealing that his distant relative was “very charming” and “warm”.
Another one of Queen Camilla’s star-studded relatives is Celine Dion. The My Heart Will Go On singer and the Queen are both related to Jean Guyon, a Frenchman who also settled in Quebec, making the pair 10th cousins once removed. She’s also another relative of Zacharie Cloutier, which also makes her ninth cousins once removed with Madonna – this family tree has no shortage of star power!
During an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2011, Johnny Depp discovered that he’s actually related to Queen Elizabeth II. A genealogist traced Johnny’s lineage back over 500 years, and discovered the pair share a common ancestor, King Edward III, who reigned during the Medieval period. This makes the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and the late Queen 20th cousins, and though they’ve never formally met, the pair briefly made contact on the set of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow in the ’90s, Sir Michael Gambon told The Telegraph. The Queen came riding past with Harry Herbert, the 17th Earl of Pembroke, with Johnny reportedly asking afterwards, “Was that the Queen?”
Former daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres never got the chance to sit down with the Princess of Wales – which would’ve been a fabulous chat, considering the pair are related. Kate and the famous funnywoman are 15th cousins, sharing a common ancestor in Sir Thomas Fairfax, an army officer during the English Civil War, and his wife Anges Gascoigne. Ellen found this fact out shortly before the Prince and Princess of Wales’ 2011 wedding, jokingly telling Extra TV’s Terri Seymour that she had a “beautiful outfit picked out” for the pair’s lavish nuptials.
The Princess of Wales is also cousins with another famous celebrity – sixth cousins with film director Guy Ritchie, to be exact. The pair share a common ancestor in David Martineau, a surgeon in the 18th century who was part of a well-known Unitarian family from Norwich. Kate and Guy are also friends in real life, with the Snatch director scoring an invite to her wedding to Prince William in 2011 – sorry, Ellen!
He’s more than just the heir to the Iron Throne – Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington is related to real-life royalty. Kit’s paternal eight-times-great-grandfather was King Charles II of England, meaning he shares an ancestor, King Charles I (Charles II’s grandfather), with the current King Charles III – if you can keep up with all those Charleses, that makes Kit and the King roughly 9th or 10th cousins.
Benedict Cumberbatch may have just been acting as King Richard III in The Hollow Crown, but turns out he’s actually related to him. Benedict is the second cousin 16 times removed of Richard, the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and the last monarch to die in Battle. Cumberbatch’s family connection earned him an invite to read a poem at the monarch’s reburial ceremony at Leicester Cathedral in 2015. The Sherlock actor is reportedly also connected to other royals like Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Jane Grey; he met the former queen when she presented him with a CBE in 2015, an experience he described to the BBC as “extraordinary” and “nerve-wracking”.
Did you know singer Hilary Duff is reportedly the American celebrity most closely related to Queen Elizabeth II? The pair share an ancestor in King Edward III – the same as Johnny Depp – while Hilary is also descended from Robert the Bruce, who was the King of Scotland in the early 14th century. This makes the former Lizzie McGuire star and the late Queen 18th cousins, as well as distantly related to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.
Descended from a Swedish noble family, brother-sister acting duo Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are 19th cousins of the late Queen Elizabeth II through their shared ancestor, King Edward III of England. If you’re keeping up (it’s quite the family web), that also makes Jake and Maggie related to Johnny Depp and Hilary Duff. Talk about a family tree packed full of both acting royalty and actual royalty!
The fact that there has been a high level of turnover on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s staff in the past few years has garnered a lot of interest, particularly after rumors that Markle was difficult to work with when she was part of the British royal family. Those rumors always seemed to be a matter of different styles and the institution’s dislike for change, but people have latched onto staff changes now to wonder if, perhaps, there was any truth to the original stories in the first place.
According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, working for the couple is probably “chaotic.” The Editor-in-Chief of Majesty Magazine told The Sun: “It must be quite chaotic working for the Sussexes. They’ve lost so many staff,” adding, “It’s not that the staff stay for any length of time, they seem to make very brief appearances and then leave. It’s obvious the job they’re expected to do is not the job they imagined they would have.”
This comes after the Daily Mailreported thatEmily Robinson, the couple’s director of communications, was departing after only four months in the role. She’d been the couple’s tenth publicist in 5 years, according to the outlet. Robison previously worked at Netflix as a Senior Director of Publicity. Sources close to Robinson told the outlet, “It was her decision. She left a few weeks ago. She’s not a quitter, so things must have been pretty horrible for her to go.”
According to Seward, “I think it has to stem from Meghan’s personality, because she’s the big boss.” She added, “I’m trying to think of a reason that she would be very hard to work with. She interferes; she gives out the wrong message. I think they’ve got to be more low-key. PR isn’t always about getting people out there. Some of the best PR keep people out of the news.”
The royal expert even had advice for Harry and Meghan. “I think they should be keeping out of the news, stop accepting humanitarian awards that nobody really understands what they’re for. They should just try and lead the life they said they wanted to, which was more of a private life.”
All of this is, of course, speculation. No one knows the reason for Emily Robinson’s departure, and it could have simply come down to the fact that, with With Love, Meghan likely not continuing, the type of PR she was asked to do in the future was not in her wheelhouse. A statement to People about her departure read, “Ms. Robinson oversaw project-based work for a very successful season of With Love, Meghan and additional support for the production company,” adding, “She did an excellent job and completed these projects with great success.”
Some of the departures from Harry and Meghan’s teams have likely been about people using the job with them as a springboard for bigger things. Last year, for example, their global press secretary and head of communications, Ashley Hansen, left to launch her own communications firm. Two of the biggest names, Liam Maguire, the director of communications in Europe, and Meredith Maines, the couple’s chief communications officer, remain in their positions.
Not everyone is leaving, and not everyone is doing it for the same reasons. And that means there will always be speculation, and discussions about why it happened. If the couple is good at PR, though, we will likely never truly know the answer.
The family was joined by the As Ever founder’s mother, Doria Ragland, who carved pumpkins with the children and Harry. “Happy Sunday,” wrote Meghan in her Instagram caption, accompanied by a pumpkin emoji and an orange heart.
October was a particularly busy month for Markle. At the beginning of the month she flew to Paris for Fashion Week to attend Pierpaolo Piccioli’s first Balenciaga show. She then headed to New York, where she joined Prince Harry for the World Mental Health Day Gala dedicated to mental health and initiatives to limit digital abuse. Five years after leaving the British royal family, Meghan and Harry seem to have found their balance: a peaceful life in Montecito, a fulfilling career for her, freedom for him—and Sundays picking pumpkins in the middle of the California countryside.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex delighted royal fans this weekend after Meghan Markle shared an adorable new video of her family enjoying a day of festive fun at a pumpkin patch. The clip, set to ‘California Dreamin” by The Mamas & the Papas, showed Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, soaking in the autumn air as they explored the grounds with their parents and grandmother, Doria Ragland. The family outing offered a rare glimpse into the Sussexes’ relaxed California life – and we couldn’t help but notice the children’s beautiful auburn hair.
Halloween fun
Sharing the clip on her Instagram on Sunday, the Duchess captioned the post: “Happy Sunday.” The video opened with sweeping shots of the pumpkin fields and a friendly scarecrow before cutting to Archie dashing through a maze. Lilibet, dressed in a cosy matching set, enjoyed a ride in a rustic wooden cart pulled by her mum, surrounded by hay bales and tractors. In another heartwarming moment, she could be seen playing with a tyre filled with white and yellow mini pumpkins, her auburn waves falling down her back.
Auburn hair for autumn
Both children appear to have inherited their father’s signature red hair. Prince Harry himself has often joked about the “Spencer gene” running strong in his family. Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2023, Harry said: “I genuinely thought that if Meghan and I had kids, there’s no way the ginger gene would stand up to my wife’s genes – but I was wrong!”
When HELLO! caught up with the Duke at the 2024 WellChild Awards, he told our Chief Content Officer, Sophie Vokes-Dudgeon, that Archie and Lilibet had been “blessed with their mother’s thick hair”, adding that “it won’t be long until Lili can sit on hers.”
Archie and Lilibet have both been blessed with their father’s auburn hair
Proud parents
The video also captured sweet glimpses of Meghan and Harry holding hands as they watched Archie and Lili run through the rows of pumpkins. The Duchess looked effortlessly chic in a checked utility jacket, dark trousers and sturdy boots – perfectly suited for the countryside setting – while Harry kept things casual in jeans, a hoodie and a baseball cap. Also joining in the fun was Meghan’s mother, Doria, who was filmed trying her hand at pumpkin carving with her grandchildren and son-in-law Harry.
This wasn’t the only autumnal look the Duchess was spotted wearing this weekend, as Meghan also stepped out in a low-key autumn style on 25 October. The 44-year-old was spotted attending a talk titled “Compare Notes on Creating a Home That’s Filled With Joy” at Godmother’s Bookstore in Summerland, California. The Duchess embraced the season in a chic tonal look – the Wool Wide Leg Pant in Fondant and matching silk tank from sustainable brand Cuyana.
© Getty
