Meghan Markle, Prince Harry ‘will outplay their hand’ as royals are 'baffled' by their alleged demands: expert

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry allegedly want an apology from "The Firm" following their Netflix docuseries – but one royal expert insists the royal family is "not playing this game."

The U.K.’s Sunday Times recently reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly seeking a "royal summit" with family members to address concerns voiced in "Harry & Meghan." The outlet alleged that the duchess, in particular, wants an "apology" from the family. Neither Archewell Foundation nor Kensington Palace immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

"If all they wanted was an apology, they could have gotten that over a Zoom two years ago," royal expert Shannon Felton Spence claimed to Fox News Digital on Monday. "They wanted to use the situation to its full extent to set up their new lives… It’s not that I don’t think a summit will happen, [but] what exactly is it going to change? Nothing. And the royal family has made that clear."

According to multiple reports, the royal family is allegedly "baffled" by the couple’s "demands" for an apology following their controversial series. It is believed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are holding out for an apology before they consider attending King Charles III’s coronation next year. The U.K.’s DailyMail claimed that the royals are "bewildered" by the couple’s request and are "refusing to respond" until they admit their own mistakes.

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"There is blame to be shared here," Spence admitted. "Reputations have been hurt all around. There wasn’t a ‘summit’ during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral [in September]. They knew that the Netflix doc and [Harry’s] book were upcoming and there was no getting out of that. I fear that it will be too late once we see what’s in the book, which is reportedly very unflattering to [Camilla] the queen consort."

"The royal family has made it clear that they are not playing this game," Spence continued. "When they didn’t respond [to the docuseries] we saw exactly what their strategy is – fly above the drama. Harry and Meghan will outplay their hand… in the near future, probably with the book."

The Sunday Times noted that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex allegedly "want their own apology" after Prince William’s godmother, Lady Susan Hussey, met with charity boss Ngozi Fulani and personally "offered her sincere apologies" for her persistent racial comments. According to the palace, the meeting at Buckingham Palace was "filled with warmth and understanding."

The 83-year-old, who was a longtime lady-in-waiting to the late queen, resigned as a palace aide after repeatedly asking Fulani where she "really" came from. The palace revealed that Fulani "has accepted" the apology and "appreciates that no malice was intended." The statement was issued on behalf of the women, and it condemned the "appalling torrent of abuse on social media and elsewhere" directed at Fulani. It added that it had been an "immensely distressing period" for both parties.

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The palace noted that the king, 74, and the royal family are pleased with "the welcome outcome."

Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent, told OK! Magazine that it’s unlikely the royal family will make the first move in apologizing to the Sussexes.

"What needs to happen is an admission that there have been faults on both sides and once there has been that admission, that may pave the way for a reconciliation," the royal author explained. "But Charles knows that a monarchy divided is not a monarchy the world wants to see."

"Harry knows full well William isn’t going to retaliate," she continued. "I think the palace’s stance of never complain, never explain in this instance is absolutely the right strategy because if they comment they will only fuel the narrative and allow the story more oxygen to run. I think by saying nothing it’s a dignified stance."

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One senior palace source told the Times that if the couple wants to get in touch with the king, "they know where he lives." The outlet shared that the Sussexes allegedly believe there are "double standards" within the family following Hussey’s meeting with Fulani.

"Nothing like that was ever done when Harry and Meghan raised various concerns – no meeting, formal apology or taking responsibility or accountability," a source told the outlet. "That is hard to swallow – 100% yes they’d like to have a meeting."

Harry claimed in new episodes of their series that his older brother William, who is heir to the British throne, screamed and shouted at him over his decision to step back from the royal family.

Friends of the Prince of Wales reportedly said, "Things have been very strained for a while," adding "there is sadness at where things currently are… and there’s a memoir coming."

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Another close friend of William's said: "The whole thing is mad."

Harry, 38, is set to release "Spare" on Jan. 10, an autobiography about his time growing up in the monarchy.

"Now, having created an independent life away from the confines of the royal institution, Harry finally has the chance to set often-inaccurately reported records straight," bestselling author and royals editor Omid Scobie wrote. "The freedom of speech. And no matter how you may feel about the man, it’s hard not to agree he should have the right to that."

In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they were stepping back as senior members of the British royal family. They eventually relocated to Markle’s home state of California, where they’re raising their two children.

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Palace officials haven’t commented on the series. A spokesperson for William, who is heir to the throne, didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Charles has kept mum as he focuses on his royal duties. On Friday, the king visited JW3, a Jewish community center in North London. He also attended an early Hanukkah party, hosted annually for Holocaust survivors, where he proudly displayed his love for dancing.

The docuseries is the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's latest effort to tell their own story after moving to the wealthy Southern California enclave of Montecito. Lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify have helped finance their life on an estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The Netflix series has come out at a crucial moment for Britain’s monarchy. The king is trying to show that the institution remains relevant after the death of the queen, whose personal popularity damped criticism of the crown during her 70-year reign.

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Harry’s 2018 marriage to Markle was once seen as a public relations coup for the royal family, boosting the monarchy’s effort to move into the 21st century by making it more representative of a multicultural nation. But the fairytale, punctuated with a horse-drawn carriage ride and lavish wedding at Windsor Castle, soon unraveled amid relentless media attention, including allegations that the duchess was self-centered and bullied her staff.

Describing royal press operations as a "dirty game," Harry said there was "leaking" and "planting of stories," and that the palace "comms team" would seek to deflect negative coverage of one royal by issuing a story about another royal.

Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and The Associated Press contributed to this report.