Prince Harry will be hosting the Invictus Games for the first time in a decade, and some royal experts believe Meghan Markle will be brave enough to join him across the pond.
People Magazine It has been reported that the Duke of Sussex’s Paralympic-style sporting events will be held in Birmingham, England, in July 2027. The city was chosen over Washington, D.C. The next Invictus Games, scheduled for February 2025, will be held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada.
If the Duchess of Sussex accompanies the prince, it will be her first visit to the UK since Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022.
Meghan Markle ‘regrets’ feud with Kate Middleton, but relationship may be ‘too cold to repair’: expert
It’s unclear whether Meghan Markle will head to the UK for the Invictus Games in 2027. (Astridah Varigorski/Getty Images)
“There is absolutely no chance that Meghan will miss the Invictus Games,” said Christopher Andersen, author of the book “The Invictus Games.” “King,” “She was briefly involved in the [their children] “Prince Archie and Princess Lilibeth. While Meghan and Harry’s concerns about their safety are legitimate, other members of the Royal Family do not see it that way, nor do the British courts.”
“There is a widespread view in the UK that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer civil servants and therefore no longer entitled to state-funded police protection,” Andersen said. “Prince Harry has the right to one more legal challenge, but it is unlikely.”
Many royal watchers hope that the Duchess’s attendance could spark peace talks between the two families. Royal expert Hilary Fordwich They argue that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave Westminster Hall after paying their respects to Queen Elizabeth II, England’s longest-reigning monarch, who passed away in 2022. (Emilio Morenatti/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
“Prince William’s memoir, Spare, as recorded by Prince Harry before their fistfight at Kensington Palace in 2019, sums up his feelings about Meghan Markle very well,” Fordwich told Fox News Digital.
“Prince Harry wrote that Prince William called Meghan ‘difficult’, ‘rude’ and ‘aggressive’ – all traits that Brits don’t like,” Fordwich said. “Members of the royal family have no reason to change their mind about Meghan.”
VIDEO: Meghan Markle has ‘moved on’ from royal drama, author claims
Prince Harry’s relationship with his family has deteriorated and he has barely seen his father, King Charles III, since the couple stepped down from royal duties and moved to California in 2020. At the time, the couple said that what they considered unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes from the British media had prompted them to step down as senior royals.
Click here to sign up for our Entertainment Newsletter
Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” was published in January 2023. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
The British prince has since detailed his volatile relationship with his family in television interviews, documentaries and a memoir.
“It’s almost certain that other members of the royal family will not be attending, which could lead to the Olympics being overshadowed by royal discord,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. “…There may be more harmony by 2027, but I wouldn’t bet on it!”
When Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games, he had the support of his father, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“…Meghan has been deeply unpopular in the UK for a long time,” Fitzwilliams said, “and a lot may be determined by security concerns with Harry being stripped of his royal title. [the chance] to appeal against the decision to withdraw the automatic police protection that he and his family once enjoyed while working as senior royals.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex aired their frustrations in the Netflix documentary series “Harry & Meghan,” which premiered in December 2022. (Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images)
“…If he wins, they may both come,” Fitzwilliams continued, “but their unpopularity has soared in the UK because of the way they have used their royal status to make money and their brutal attacks on the monarchy. Given their dismally low approval ratings, Meghan may not come.”
“Members of the royal family had no reason to change their mind about Meghan Markle.”
Prince Harry’s legal battle over his safety in the UK began more than four years ago, when the 39-year-old claimed that hostility towards him and his wife, 42, put him and his family at risk during visits to his home country. He noted that the couple were relentlessly hounded by the British press.
In response, government lawyers said Prince Harry had been treated fairly and was still provided with protection for parts of the visit. They cited the example of security guards who protected the prince when he was chased by photographers after attending an event in west London in June 2021 involving seriously ill children.
Click here to sign up for our Entertainment Newsletter
Prince Harry has fought for the right to protection for his family in the UK. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
In February, High Court Judge Peter Lane ruled that the commission’s decision to provide “bespoke” security where necessary was not unlawful, unreasonable or unreasonable.
The committee’s decisions were made by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, a group made up of members of royal staff, the Metropolitan police and several government agencies.
Andersen noted that the royal family could solve this problem by easily allowing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to travel to the UK if they wish.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, embrace a competitor during the Invictus Games on April 17, 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands. (Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)
“Because this is an isolated incident and not necessarily a wholesale policy change, it’s clear that something can be done,” Andersen argues. “The King could just wave his hand and order Prince Harry and his family to be given royal protection, or if that’s not possible, pay for it himself, and that would solve the problem.”
“The world’s richest and most powerful family can certainly afford to cover the costs of security for Harry, Meghan and their children while they are in London, but at this stage in the Windsor infighting, that’s not the point.”
American actress Meghan Markle married the British prince in 2018 and became the Duchess of Sussex. (Ben Stansall – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“Let’s hope that the two sides have reconciled by the time Invictus returns to Birmingham in 2027,” Andersen continued. “If both sides are still hunkered down in their respective camps, there’s absolutely no chance that the King, Prince William, Kate Middleton or any member of the Royal Family will attend the Invictus Games – even though the games take place in close proximity to the Royal Family.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014. (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
In May, Prince Harry arrived alone in London to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, with a spokesman confirming that he did not meet his 75-year-old father during the visit.
Prince Charles, who has been off royal duties for three months due to cancer, has been too busy to meet with his son, a spokesman for the Duke of Sussex said.
King Charles III is battling a mysterious cancer. (Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
“The Duke, of course, understands his father’s… responsibilities and various other priorities and hopes to be able to meet him in the near future,” the statement said.
Prince Harry flew to London in February for a very brief stay after his father was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer.
Speaking on “Good Morning America” shortly after his latest short trip to London, Prince Harry said his father’s illness may help bring the family closer together.
Prince Harry ‘homesick’, eager to reconcile as Meghan Markle focuses on ‘winning Hollywood favour’: expert
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are attending the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany on September 12, 2023. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images via Invictus Games Foundation)
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that it’s not too late for the American actress to win the support of the British public – and her parents-in-law.
“If Meghan wants to repair her damaged reputation in the UK, she should visit the UK and cheer on her husband at the Invictus Games in 2027,” Chard said. “There is still more than enough time to put in place a comprehensive and robust safety plan for the whole family, and the royal family will want them to be completely safe.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the 2024 ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 11, 2024. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+P)
“But Meghan’s busy life takes place in the US and this is the life she knows and loves,” Chard pointed out. “She has no attachment to the UK. She has also made it clear from her brief stay there that she feels British people dislike her. She would not choose to visit the UK unless there was some benefit to be gained from it.”
Oprah Winfrey interviewed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in a 2021 special, where they opened up about the struggles of royal life. (Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese via Getty Images)
“But coming to the UK will work to her and her family’s advantage,” Chard continued. “It will be a chance for the whole family to reconnect, show unity and bring attention to the Invictus Games. If handled well, she and her family will be viewed favourably, which will generate sales for her brand.”
“Meghan has not visited the UK since 2022. She has the excuse of ongoing security issues. However, a comprehensive security plan will always be provided for the entire family. Meghan’s fears for her safety are debatable, but she is undoubtedly afraid of being heckled in the UK.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in the wealthy coastal city of Montecito. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Prince Harry’s ESPYs speech honors Pat Tillman after her mother slams awards decision
Harry, a former British Army captain, founded the Invictus Games in 2014 as a Paralympic-style event modelled on the US Warrior Games and designed to inspire veterans around the world as they strive to overcome battlefield injuries.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
