According to author Tom Bower, Prince Harry had hoped that his late mother’s siblings and friends would recognise the resemblances he saw between Meghan Markle and Princess Diana, and he felt “disappointed” by their lack of recognition.
The comparisons between Meghan Markle and the late Diana, Princess of Wales have been a recurrent theme since her relationship with Prince Harry was thrust into the public eye.
Tom Bower’s investigative exposé, ‘Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors’, which emerged earlier this year, brought a host of startling revelations about the couple to the forefront. Among the intriguing narratives was Prince Harry’s aspiration for Diana’s two sisters and closest confidante to acknowledge the parallels he saw between Meghan and his mother, and his subsequent disappointment when his expectations were not met.
In addition to this poignant episode for Prince Harry, Bower contends that Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, was prompted to discuss the depth of his bond with Meghan with his nephew. Bower asserts that despite Prince Harry’s anticipation, not only did Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Baroness Jane Fellowes, and close friend Julia Samuel not recognise the likenesses between Meghan and the late Princess Diana, but they also expressed reservations about Meghan’s compatibility with the Royal Family.
Bower’s narrative continues, recounting Prince Harry’s perspective: “Since the Vanity Fair article had amplified the Cambridges’ suspicions of Meghan, the actress discovered that her Kensington Palace neighbour held even less affinity for her.” At this juncture, Prince Harry introduced Meghan to Diana’s two sisters, Jane and Sarah, as well as her best friend Julia Samuel. Prince Harry believed his mother’s family and close circle would discern a shared kinship between Diana and his fiancée.
“Both, he said, shared the same challenges. He was met with disillusionment. His cherished notion of his vulnerable mother and girlfriend sharing common ground found no agreement. To add to his discomfort, it was suggested that Meghan might not assimilate well into the Royal Family.”
Bower’s narrative reflects on Charles Spencer’s input: “Their reservations found a voice in Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother. Responding to William’s appeal, Spencer intervened. Having been married thrice, Spencer advised his nephew to deliberate further before rushing into marriage. This counsel elicited a bitter response. ‘This was bound to be exceedingly challenging,’ Harry would later muse on the task of establishing Meghan’s role within the family.”
Bower delves deeper: “Among Harry’s recurring concerns was their financial situation following marriage. Although Harry received an annual stipend of around £1.5 million from Charles, Meghan was advised to sustain her acting career to supplement their income.
“By that stage, Meghan was already aware, courtesy of her agent Nick Collins, that her prospects in the acting world were circumscribed. Her official biographer, Omid Scobie, accurately summarised her departure from Hollywood. ‘She yearned for a more meaningful vocation,’ he noted. ‘Her platform had the potential for far greater impact.’ Yet, her discontent persisted. She stood tantalisingly on the brink of shaping her future, but official confirmation remained elusive.”