S Poddar
Meghan Markle appears to be determined to continue shunning trips to the UK. She will stay behind when her husband Prince Harry will make an important charity visit later this month. The Duke of Sussex will again attend the WellChild award ceremony on September 30.
Prince Harry has long been the patron of WellChild, the UK-based charity for seriously ill children. The event means a lot to him as it highlights the strength and bravery of these children and their families. But then, much like last year, he would attend this very important occasion himself as well, which would once again send a whisper across the minds of people as to why Meghan is staying away.
Harry said he had expressed his fears regarding his family’s safety when visiting the UK. He has never hesitated about speaking out on the fear that Meghan and his children could be exposed to, having been open with ITV back in January while talking candidly after confessing that he had “legitimate concerns” over their safety. This was due to “fear of attacks involving ‘a knife or acid”, something that he claims remains “a continued challenge” for the couple while they make decisions over traveling in the UK.
Meghan was missing from the WellChild awards in London last year. However, she has not returned to the UK since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022. However, when Meghan missed the charity event last year, she made an appearance at the Invictus Games in Germany shortly after that. Her absence from the UK but the presence in Europe at another public event has generated a lot of speculation over reasons for her choices.
Questions about his stay in the UK persist ahead of Prince Harry’s appearance at this year’s WellChild Awards. GB News royal correspondent Cameron Walker explained that Prince Harry’s commitment to the charity remains strong but observed his visits to this country were usually very short. Commenting on the situation, Walker raised a question of whether this visit would be “a quick in-and-out trip for Prince Harry” or maybe he would stay here for more than a couple of days.
Answer Nanan-Sen, GB News Royal Editor, shared similar thoughts while discussing on The Royal Record podcast, adding this might be a chance for Harry to catch up with family members, especially the newly appointed King Charles. We know he hasn’t seen King Charles since February,” Nanan-Sen said, adding that while a reunion with his father may be on the cards, a meeting with his brother, Prince William, seems unlikely. According to reports, the tension between the brothers persists, and indeed they apparently chose not to speak at the funeral of their uncle last month.
Last year, Harry’s UK visit for the WellChild Awards was brief. He spent in the country just one night before flying off to Germany for Invictus Games. Meghan chose not to accompany him to the London event yet traveled to Europe within days, and this sparked speculations she is really avoiding visiting the UK. Apparently this time too history will repeat itself as Meghan is not expected this time to join Harry on his UK visit.
There’s been much speculation about the couple’s dynamic and how they interact with the rest of the royal family with Prince Harry set to appear alone at the WellChild Awards. Despite the public interest in their comings and goings, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex maintain a level of privacy over personal decisions. So for now, it seems Meghan will stay in California, leaving Harry to face the UK spotlight once more on his own.
Where Prince Harry stays engaged with WellChild and other affiliations, the reason for this no-show by Meghan in UK events is a point of interest. Their choices, however, have been to expend public opinion against them in order to answer security and well-being questions- a reflection of how the couple continues to find their own ways to live life on their terms.
