Meghan Markle and Prince Harry show true colours as they split public roles – with Prince William left out in the cold
Over recent months Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have pursued solo projects and made public appearances at events that are close to their own hearts. In September Prince Harry attended the WellChild Awards in London, a charity he’s been a Patron of for 16 years, while in May he marked the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games at a service at St Paul's Cathedral during a short visit to the UK.
Meanwhile, Meghan visited Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara earlier this month where she celebrated the International Day of the Girl and supported its digital-wellness program Social Media U. “This new educational initiative will equip girls with the essential tools to thrive in the digital age while fostering healthier, more balanced relationships with technology,” a statement from The Archewell Foundation said.
Despite the pair doing such events solo, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been able to have “twice the impact” when it comes to highlighting important causes, a royal expert has claimed. Speaking exclusively to OK!, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond opened up on the pair’s recent public appearances.
“I think Harry and Meghan are showing that they can pursue separate interests effectively and, you could argue, have twice the impact as they can cover much more ground,” she explained. “It seems quite sensible to me for them each to capitalise on their individual strengths - Harry concentrating mostly on charity work and social issues, while Meghan goes down a more commercial route. It must certainly give them more to talk about over dinner!”
Sign up to OK's royal newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free
Despite their recent solo outings, Jennie also added that the pair remains a powerful couple when they’re together. Back in August, the duo made headlines across the world when they headed to Colombia on the invitation of the country’s vice-president.
While there, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex met with activists and experts where they spoke about the effect of social media. They also took part in an internet safety summit and joined a panel discussion about online safety.
“I think they still can make a real impact when they work together,” Jennie added. “For example, when they recently met the parents of children who have taken their own lives because of getting involved in the dark web.
"They both contributed to the discussion and to the interview. And they definitely make more of a splash when they visit countries like Nigeria or Colombia together.”
Jennie’s comments come after she spoke to OK! about the breakdown of the brotherly bond between Prince Harry and Prince William as the siblings pursue different paths. “I still believe that the relationship between the brothers is almost irretrievable. William has so much on his plate at the moment that I don’t think he has room in his heart or head to deal with all that has gone on with Harry,” she previously said.
“While the brothers may never be close again, or even live on the same continent, it doesn’t mean that the future has to be full of bitterness and bad blood. Catherine is right. Family should always be paramount.”