Meghan Markle’s reported UK visit plans face fresh scrutiny as a royal commentator links the trip to pressure on her brand and public image.
Express reported that Meghan and Prince Harry are widely expected to travel to Britain next month with Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. The reported trip would come ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
If the visit happens, it will come at a sensitive time. Attention has focused on Meghan’s business venture As Ever and Harry’s strained ties with the royal family.
Why this Meghan Markle UK visit matters now
Royal author Ingrid Seward told the Mirror Meghan may feel she needs to make the trip happen.
“They need to come, or more accurately, Meghan needs to come,” Seward said. “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.”
Meghan launched As Ever in April last year. Since then, the brand has faced criticism and online debate.
They need to come, or more accurately, Meghan needs to come.
That debate has included questions about whether the duchess is trading on her royal links. According to reports, Meghan’s popularity in the US fell during the first three months of the year.
It also claimed that traffic to the As Ever online shop dipped at the same time. Page Six allegedly reported that the former Suits actress could be “facing a $5 million jam” if products including jams, teas and flower sprinkles are not sold before they expire next summer.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes strongly rejected that claim. The spokesperson said reports that As Ever is in financial trouble or facing bankruptcy are “entirely false and based on speculation” and added that the business continues to grow with “a strong customer community and an exciting pipeline of future products”.
What could a return to Britain actually change?
Seward argued that Meghan’s brand relies in part on visible royal links.
“The business and her relationships with the royal family are sort of symbiotic,” she said. “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.”
Seward also said Meghan may also want to avoid more speculation about her marriage if Harry travels alone.
“I don’t know how she’ll turn it around, because a lot of people feel that way,” Ingrid claimed. “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.”
Any possible UK visit would also revive questions about Harry’s relationship with King Charles. After losing his Court of Appeal challenge over UK security, Harry told the BBC: “There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.” He also said he would “love” reconciliation.
Any possible Meghan Markle UK visit is being discussed against the backdrop of Prince Harry’s long-running dispute over security in Britain.
- Harry challenged changes to his UK security arrangements after stepping back from royal duties.
- After losing his Court of Appeal challenge, he said there was “no point continuing to fight any more” and that he would “love” reconciliation with his family.
- The security issue has been central to questions about whether Harry, Meghan and their children would travel to the UK together.
- In this article, the security dispute is presented as one reason any family visit would require careful planning.
Express also reported that Harry’s last face-to-face meeting with the king lasted 54 minutes at Clarence House in September last year. Later claims described the meeting as “distinctly formal”. However, Harry’s representatives called that account “categorically false” and blamed “sources intent on sabotaging” the reunion.
Read more: Prince William shares new Earthshot message as he admits ‘the challenge can still feel immense’
Seward said any new meeting would need careful planning. She warned that “arranging a last-minute visit and hoping to see King Charles would be a risk” because his days are ” ordered down to the second”.