Harry and Meghan Face Family Scandal and Questions Over Their UK Move

For Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, two pressures are converging: serious allegations involving Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle Sr., and reports that the Duchess is struggling to settle into life in Britain. Friends of the couple say the royal family has not privately offered support as the allegations draw attention. Those claims, like the accounts of Meghan’s homesickness, come from unnamed sources and should be treated as such.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing a difficult family moment after serious child abuse allegations were made against the Duchess’s father, Thomas Markle Sr. Meghan has said the situation left her “distressed.”

A source cited by the Examiner says friends are disappointed that the royal family has not reached out privately. The reported absence of a personal gesture has become part of the story around a case in which the allegations remain contested.

Friends question the royal family’s response

The report says Thomas Markle Sr. was accused by his son, Thomas Jr., of possessing a large amount of child abuse material. Meghan has reportedly said she knew of investigations into her father years ago. That history, she said, led her to distance herself from him to protect her children, Archie and Lilibet.

Thomas Sr. denies the allegations. He has accused his son of making them up out of “desperation for money.” The claims and denials are part of an ongoing investigation; the source account offers no further details about its status.

Friends of Harry and Meghan, as quoted by the outlet, say the couple have received sympathy from people around the world but none from the royal family. One source called that response “pretty cold,” given the gravity of the allegations. Another said no one expected King Charles or Prince William to intervene in an investigation, but suggested a private expression of compassion would have mattered.

The criticism is based on what the source says has happened behind the scenes. There is no independent confirmation in the report that members of the family have not contacted the couple. The distinction matters: the complaint concerns an alleged lack of support, while the allegations against Thomas Sr. remain disputed.

Reports describe a difficult adjustment to Britain

Separate reports have focused on Meghan’s adjustment to Britain. A source cited by Star Magazine says she has been trying to appear upbeat for Harry while privately missing California. The account portrays the move as a strain, though it relies on unnamed sources rather than comments from Meghan.

The source says Harry has encouraged her to stay patient and keep her spirits up. It also claims that outings in Britain have not eased her homesickness. According to that account, she misses her home in Montecito, trips to the beach and time with friends.

The article describes the family as having relocated to the UK with Archie and Lilibet, while also noting that the couple previously settled in California after stepping down as senior working royals in 2020. It says their Montecito property remains part of their lives. The account does not explain the practical arrangements behind the reported move or how much time the family spends in each country.

California also remains connected to Meghan’s professional life, the report says. Her As Ever lifestyle brand draws on an image associated with her years in Montecito. That link gives the California home significance beyond familiarity, even as the couple are reported to be spending more time in Britain.

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Friends offer familiar company

A source says Meghan’s friend Kelly Zajfen visited Britain with her husband and children, giving the Duchess company during what the source described as a hard transition. The visit appears to have offered a connection to her established circle, though the source also stressed that Zajfen could not stay indefinitely.

Meghan was also reported to have met longtime friends Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi for a pub outing. The group reportedly gathered at The Three Horseshoes, an 18th-century pub near Burford, Oxfordshire, at about 2 p.m. local time on Monday, September 21. DeGeneres and de Rossi previously lived near the Sussexes in Montecito, and the report says the couples have remained close.

The article places that outing against a broader move to the Cotswolds, where DeGeneres and de Rossi reportedly relocated from California in November 2024. Such encounters may make Britain feel less unfamiliar, but the source accounts suggest they have not settled the question of where Meghan feels most at home.

The move remains an open question

The Star source claims Meghan has begun questioning whether the family’s reported move to Britain was the right choice. The account says Harry expected local friendships to help, but describes her concerns as extending beyond loneliness. It attributes her discomfort to Britain’s slower pace and a social atmosphere the source characterizes as stuffy.

Those descriptions are a source’s interpretation, not a public statement from Meghan. The same insider says she is accustomed to searching for solutions and maintaining a positive outlook, but regards this as a particularly difficult challenge. The report does not establish that the family intends to reverse its move.

For now, the reporting presents a family balancing competing demands: a serious and contested scandal, an alleged lack of support from royal relatives, and a major change in daily life. The next clear signals will come from the couple themselves: what they say about their plans, and where they choose to make their home.