Their Love Story
Everyone wondered when the handsome Prince Harry would settle down. His older brother, Prince William, had already been married for years to Kate Middleton, and together they had three children.
Then, the media went crazy when it was announced that Harry was dating American actress Meghan Markle in 2016. At the time, she was known for playing Rachel in the famous show Suits.
Getting Serious
As their relationship got more and more serious, the couple got more and more attention on them - and not in a good way. British tabloids are known for being extremely harsh on celebrities, and the paparazzi never leave them alone.
People either hated or loved the couple. While they got plenty of love both in Britain and abroad, they also got a lot of hate. Even though Meghan had been on a famous TV show, she had never experienced this level of exposure before.
Love At First Sight
The way the royal couple met was incredibly... normal: a blind date. A mutual friend thought they would make a nice couple and set them up. The two had never met before and were incredibly nervous.
But right when they locked eyes for the first time, they fell for each other. They both knew that this would be more than just a date, and that's how it all began. Unfortunately, they did not anticipate all the hardships they would have to face together.
Rumors Begin
Just a month after their relationship became known, the rumors started. Two British tabloids released stories claiming that Meghan came from a family of gangsters, a ridiculous and exaggerated story that people still somehow believed.
Not only that, but there were racial undertones in many of the stories written about Meghan's supposed involvement with gangs and other shady dealings. In the world we live today, it is no surprise that some people would dislike the fact that the prince was dating a black woman.
Taking Action
This did not go unnoticed. Harry promptly tried to stop the awful things that were being written about his girlfriend and in November 2016, the first official statement was released. It read:
His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.... This is not a game—it is her life and his.”
Waiting It Out
The thing about rumors and media attention is that they are very strong but eventually they just die out. A popular way that celebrities choose to deal with the media frenzy is to just wait for the whole thing to disappear on its own.
At some point, people lose interest and move on to the next big scandal, so it was a matter of time before the media left Meghan and Harry alone. To their surprise, however, the harassment only intensified.
The Engagement
A year and a half after they started dating, the happy couple announced their engagement. Although it was a very happy time for them and many people, this brought them even more undesired attention.
The couple could not breathe without having a whole article written about them. And it wasn't that they got positive attention - on the contrary, the things written about them only painted them in a bad light.
Taking A Toll
While the tabloids focused on them as a couple, it was Meghan who had the hardest time. First of all, she didn't grow up in the spotlight as Harry did, so she had to learn how to handle it as she went along.
But most importantly, the press was much harder on her than on Harry. The things that were being written about her were too much for her to handle and one day, they both had enough.
Only Human
They may be rich and famous so it is hard to empathize with celebrities sometimes. We think to ourselves, "why do they complain? They have it all!" but unfortunately, it is not that easy. Money is amazing, but it does not buy you happiness.
Meghan and Harry just wanted the same thing that everyone in this world wants: peace. They wanted to live their lives without being scrutinized and they wanted people to respect their privacy. This would prove too much to ask, however.
Enough Is Enough
After a few years together, getting married, and having a gorgeous baby boy named Archie, Meghan and Harry had enough. Earlier this year, they announced that they were stepping back from their royal duties.
This meant that they would move out, stop representing the Queen and the Royal Family, and stop receiving money from them. They would split their time between Canada and the UK and live lives as normal people, not as royals.
Mixed Feelings
While many people supported their decision to become independent and live their own lives, many people didn't. Not only that, but paradoxically, even though they made this decision to be left alone and live private lives, this made people talk about them even more.
Now, everyone was speculating whether the royal family was happy about their decision or whether there was bad blood between them. The fact that Harry did not want to be a royal did not mean that he was no longer part of his family, but this move made people wonder whether there was tension in the family.
Clearing The Air
The Queen was quick to come out with a statement letting people know that everything was fine between Harry, Meghan, and the rest of the family. The statement read:
"Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family".
Was It All For Show?
Many speculated that the statement was just for show and that there was actually a lot of tension between the members of the royal family. At the end of the day, however, those are just rumors, and we can't know for sure.
What we do know, however, is that Prince Harry and Meghan have made several moves to further distance themselves from the royals, which could mean that they want to stay as far away from them as possible.
Charity Work
One thing that the royals have always been known for is their charity work. For many years, Harry and William worked together on several charities to help hundreds of people and even founded their own organizations.
Harry himself founded the Endeavour Fund, a charity that helps wounded veterans to get their lives back on track and get whatever help they need after their service. This charity was held under The Royal Foundation for many years.
The Royal Foundation
But, "what is the Royal Foundation?" you may ask. Well, this foundation was created by both William and Harry to pursue different charitable goals in 2009. When William married Kate Middleton, she too joined the foundation as a patron.
Following tradition, Meghan Markle joined the foundation when she and Harry got married. People wondered what would happen to the foundation once Harry and Meghan decided to step back, however.
Other Charities
After Meghan and Harry stepped back from their royal duties, they still participated in all the charities and foundations that they were linked to. Apart from the Endeavor Fund, Harry also made another charity a few years ago.
This one is called the Invictus Games. It is a sporting event that was first held in 2014 in which wounded, sick, or injured veterans take part in different sports, such as indoor rowing, wheelchair basketball, and sitting volleyball.
Its Goal
You might think that a sporting event is just that, but there's more to it. The Invictus Games exist in order to inspire the recovery of wounded veterans and generate support and respect for those who served their country.
As you can see, this charity has a lot in common with the Endeavor Fund, Harry's other charity, which also supports wounded veterans. When you see this relation between the two charities, what Harry did next doesn't come as such a surprise.
A Big Move
Just last month, after laying low for months, Harry and Meghan made headlines again when it was announced that the Endeavor Fund would no longer work under the Royal Foundation.
Instead, the Endeavor Fund would operate under the Invictus Games Foundation. This would mean that Harry would now be in total control of both foundations and not have any ties to William and Kate.
An Innocent Merger?
Like we've mentioned before, the two charities had basically the same goal, so it made sense to merge them. However, one can't help but wonder whether this was only an innocent merger based on convenience or whether there is something more to it.
After all, Harry could still work together with William and Kate when it came to charities without having any royal duties. So, why is he cutting as many ties with them as possible?
We'll Never Know
It is very possible that the royal family did not approve of the relationship between Harry and Meghan. It is also possible that they did, however, but once they decided to step back, things turned sour.
At the end of the day, we'll never truly know what happens behind closed doors unless someone comes out and makes a statement. We just hope that Harry and Meghan can finally find some peace and be happy, even if that means cutting ties with Harry's family.