Meghan Markle is said to be a major factor in the ongoing feud between Prince William and Prince Harry.
The claim was made by Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of "My Mother and I." Seward, who has been writing about the royal family for over 20 years, claimed to Fox News Digital that William, heir to the British throne, is aware of how supporters of the monarchy in the U.K. feel about the Duchess of Sussex.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
"The flea in the ointment really is very much Meghan," Seward claimed to Fox News Digital. "She’s disliked intensely by a large number of the monarchists of this country. They see her as being very… damaging to the royal family. And also, I think a lot of people in America feel the same. They don’t like that Meghan [reportedly] dissed her husband’s family and dissed her own family."
"It’s just extraordinary to think that her children have not met their grandfather," Seward shared, referring to former Hollywood lighting director Thomas Markle.
"I think people in the States find that extremely odd, and [we] find it very odd here. And I think that’s a real black mark against Meghan’s character. I think she hasn’t been able to embrace… her own family, however much she feels about them. I mean, Harry’s never even met her father, which is extraordinary."
"There are a lot of difficult emotions [to] get over there," Seward added.
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich also told Fox News Digital that many in the U.K. have "an unfavorable" view of the Duchess, 44.
"Persistent lack of trust is the main reason why senior royals remain reluctant to engage in reconciliation efforts," she claimed. "Their concerns are well-founded, that any private family discussions could become public or be used for commercial projects… [Meghan]… has no sense of duty toward the British public nor the institution."
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Seward and Fordwich’s claims came shortly after People magazine reported in a cover story that William and Harry continue to go "on separate paths" with no communication between them.
"The rift is very profound and very long-lasting," Robert Lacey, author of "Battle of Brothers," told the outlet. "It will not be changed, in my opinion, until Harry makes a move and apologizes."
Insiders also told the outlet that Harry’s calls and messages to William had gone unanswered.
Seward pointed out to Fox News Digital that William has "taken a firm stance" in keeping his distance amid the couple’s tell-alls in recent years. However, Harry has made it clear that his brother was "unpleasant" to Meghan, she argued.
"Harry thinks that William insulted Meghan," said Seward. "I think when you have that kind of animosity, it’s really hard to [get around it]. I just don’t see any kind of reparation. I just don’t see it at this moment."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. Following their move to California that year, the couple aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries.
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In 2023, Harry wrote a memoir, "Spare," where he recounts a long-standing sibling rivalry that worsened after he began a relationship with the former American actress, whom he married in 2018.
He said that during an argument in 2019, William called Meghan "difficult" and "rude," then grabbed him by the collar and knocked him down. Harry suffered cuts and bruises from landing on a dog bowl.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace have commented on any of the allegations.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claimed to Fox News Digital that "a mistrust of Meghan" is "a major reason" why William won’t engage with his brother, but only one of many.
"William feels Harry has betrayed the royal family," Fitzwilliams explained. "Given… the personal attacks on him in the memoir ‘Spare,’ reconciliation is likely to be a tough call with the [Prince of Wales]."
"There are some things which are not forgotten," Fitzwilliams warned. "Of course, reconciliation is desirable and being in exile, which Harry is, is often very sad… The last time the brothers were together, at the memorial service for Lord Fellowes last August, they reportedly didn’t speak. I doubt much has changed."
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In May of this year, Harry said he wanted to reconcile with his family after losing a court battle over his publicly funded security. The 40-year-old said his father, who is battling an undisclosed form of cancer, wouldn’t speak to him.
"I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore," said Harry. "I don’t know how much longer my father has."
Seward said there’s a good reason the king, 76, has also been keeping his distance.
"I think that Harry is… very saddened by the fact that he has failed to reconcile at least with his father," said Seward. "But it is not that his father doesn’t love him. It’s because his father doesn’t trust his son not to repeat what he says. He can’t have that happen. So it’s easier for [the royal family] to avoid the issue.
"It’s human nature, really, to just avoid confrontation. If you can’t deal with it, and you don’t know how to deal with it, or if there’s no way of dealing with it, you just avoid it. And you can do that easily when you have a very, very busy life."
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he remains hopeful the two families can eventually come together.
"I believe it to be totally correct that members of the royal family do not trust Meghan," he said. "And of course, she does not trust some members of the royal family in return… Also, if every member of the royal family [doesn’t trust Meghan], then why did King Charles instigate a meeting with his senior advisor and that of Harry and Meghan’s team? Is it all the royal family or is it perhaps William?"
"I hope that Harry and Meghan are warmly welcomed back to Britain with their children," he added.
But Seward doesn’t see Meghan, who is raising two children in California, returning to the U.K. anytime soon. The Duchess of Sussex is gearing up to launch Season 2 of her Netflix lifestyle series, "With Love, Meghan."
"I don’t think that Meghan has any intention of wanting to come back and live in the U.K.," she said. "Why should she? She’s got a beautiful house in Montecito. She’s got a lot of work in LA. Her friends are there. Her life is there. Why would she want to come back here? No reason at all. I certainly wouldn’t if I were her. Why would you come back to a country where people really didn’t like you or want you?"
Still, Seward noted that Princess Diana "would’ve hated the idea that her boys weren’t speaking to each other." Harry’s glamorous mother died in August 1997 at age 36 from injuries she sustained in a car crash.
"I think she would’ve been the one person that could have brought them together, possibly," said Seward.
"They never would’ve fallen out. But… Harry has always been very conscious of the fact that he’s ‘the spare.’ As we know, he wrote a book about it. And not just that, but he kept mentioning it. And William has always been rather jealous that Harry had all the fun without the responsibility of being a future monarch."
"I feel that [this] won’t go on forever," said Seward. "I just feel that at some stage… they will begin to come together."
People magazine reported that Harry is expected to be back in the U.K. in September. He’ll be supporting WellChild, a charity that helps children with life-limiting conditions. It’s unknown whether Harry will reunite with at least his father.
"This is the sadness of it – [the brothers] aren’t supporting each other like they should be," a source close to the royal household told the outlet. "That’s what any mother would want – that they are there for each other."