Meghan Markle reportedly feels sickened over after fresh claims suggested she and Prince Harry used Archie and Lilibet as leverage in the latest security row.
Harry returned to the UK alone on Monday. Meghan stayed away with Archie and Lilibet after plans for a family visit appeared to unravel.
The children had reportedly been expected to spend time with King Charles. But just 48 hours before the Sussexes were due in the UK, the arrangements still looked uncertain.
However, it was confirmed last Friday that the king had met with Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet privately at Highgrove House.
According to Closer, the fallout has left Meghan deeply upset. The outlet said royal watchers and fans accused the couple of trying to use the children to gain special treatment.
Why this Meghan Markle and King Charles claim has hit so hard
An insider claimed Meghan could not believe the accusations. The source alleged: “To her this is about as low as it gets. To have people tearing her down and making hurtful and untrue claims is bad enough but to drag her children into it is just beyond the pale. They are going to grow up and potentially read all this poison someday, so it boggles her mind that people could be so cruel.”
The same insider added: “What makes it a thousand times worse is that she’s sure that a lot of this ugly narrative is being sanctioned, or even pushed, by people behind the palace walls. That truly sickens her. She can’t believe anyone would seriously suggest she and Harry are using Archie and Lilibet to blackmail the king to get what they want. As far as Meghan’s concerned, that’s twisted thinking and completely beneath her.”
Royal commentators then weighed in. Tom Sykes said on The Royalist podcast: “It felt to me like a really blatant attempt, and actually a really mean attempt, to kind of… emotionally blackmail Charles into intervening into the security decisions of the British state. I’m told by good sources that actually, a lot of this is coming from Meghan.”
Columnist Alison Boshoff described Harry and Meghan’s actions as “intensely manipulative”. Tina Brown added: “If Harry thought that bringing his children would force RAVEC’s hand, he was, as he is so often, hopelessly misguided.”
The security fear at the heart of the Meghan Markle and King Charles drama
Security sits at the centre of this family row. Harry and Meghan’s team reportedly carried out a private review. This review is said to have concluded that Harry could be a target for terrorists at the Invictus Games.
An insider reportedly added to Closer: “The thing people don’t seem to understand is that, for Meghan and Harry, this has never been about getting special treatment. It’s about the safety of their children and nothing else. She and Harry genuinely believe that any parents in their position would make exactly the same decisions if they felt there was even the slightest risk.”
Buckingham Palace and a representative for Meghan Markle has been contacted for comment.
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