Meghan Markle ‘moved on’ from royal family drama, author claims
Princess Diana's biographer Andrew Morton, author of "The Queen: Her Story," weighs in on the future for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Meghan Markle is determined to reinvent herself as a Hollywood power player.
The claim was made by British author Andrew Morton who previously wrote a book on the former "Suits" star titled "Meghan: A Hollywood Princess." He told Fox News Digital he does not envision the mother of two ever returning to the U.K.
"Meghan is making her own life on the West Coast," said Morton. "The royal family is very much in the rearview mirror of her life. She’s moved on."
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Author Andrew Morton claimed that the royal family drama is on Meghan Markle's mind. (Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images)
The paperback version of Morton’s latest book, "The Queen: Her Life," was published on Sept. 5 with a new epilogue. It takes an in-depth look at Queen Elizabeth II's life and legacy.
The bestselling author, known for being Princess Diana’s biographer, has previously written books on other members of the British royal family.
"From what I gather, Meghan is going to start a new, updated version of [her lifestyle website] The Tig," Morton claimed. "So I think [the Duke and Duchess of Sussex] got their own lives, and they’ve worked it out. And every day that passes, they’re more established in California."
The paperback version of Andrew Morton's book, "The Queen: Her Life," was recently published. (Grand Central Publishing)
"The state where they live is crowded with billionaires and millionaires," Morton shared. "So if they want to raise money for their charities, they’ve picked… very fertile ground. Other royals will envy that they can go to a dinner and raise millions of dollars for their charities. So that’s what they’ll do."
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Markle shut down her lifestyle website months after she started dating the British prince in 2017. The site — aimed to share Markle’s personal reflections as well as her passions for food and travel — was created in 2014. Its name is inspired by the Italian wine Tignanello.
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Andrew Morton claimed that Meghan Markle is planning on relaunching her lifestyle site The Tig. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Markle, 42, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry, 39, in 2018.
In 2019, Markle's business manager filed documents in the U.S. to keep the rights to her site until 2021. This prompted speculation that the duchess was relaunching it. However, a palace spokesperson said at the time that there were "absolutely no plans to relaunch ‘The Tig.’"
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020. At the time, they cited what they saw as the media’s racist treatment of the duchess and a lack of support from the palace.
Oprah Winfrey interviewed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a special in 2021 where they revealed their struggles with royal life. (Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese via Getty Images)
Morton said that in carving out her own life in California, Markle likely does not have any desire to return to the U.K. – especially if that meant curtsying to Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales is married to Prince William, Harry’s older brother, who is heir to the throne. According to royal protocol, Markle would only be required to bow to the mother of three once William ascends to the throne.
"I just feel that Meghan’s never really embraced the rules and rituals of the royal family," Morton claimed. "She didn’t understand that she had to curtsy to the queen in private. It’s no secret that there’s not much love lost between Kate and Meghan, and Meghan is making her own life on the West Coast."
"She’s a celebrity," Morton added.
Andrew Morton said he does not envision Meghan Markle, right, returning to the UK because that would mean curtsying to Kate Middleton, left, once Prince William becomes king. (Max Mumby/Indigo)
The couple has aired their grievances since moving to California. In 2021, they sat for a two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey that was viewed by nearly 50 million people globally. That year, Harry also spoke of his struggles being in the public eye for the Apple TV+ docuseries "The Me You Can’t See," which showed him in a therapy session.
Markle launched a podcast titled "Archetypes" in 2022, which topped Spotify charts around the world. In December, the couple’s six-part Netflix documentary was released. It detailed their love story and struggles with royal life.
Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" was published in January of this year. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket)
On Jan. 10, Harry’s memoir "Spare" shattered the record for the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time. In the tell-all, the Duke of Sussex spoke of his rivalry with his older brother, as well as how the death of his mother Diana impacted him over the years.
WATCH: MEGHAN MARKLE ‘MOVED ON’ FROM ROYAL FAMILY DRAMA, AUTHOR CLAIMS
While Markle has largely maintained a low profile in California, she has made several appearances this year. In late September, she and Harry were among the big names who joined Kevin Costner at an One805 charity fundraiser to support the first responder community in Santa Barbara. Previously she made headlines while accompanying Harry to the Invictus Games in Germany.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, attends the cycling medal ceremony at the Cycling Track during day six of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on Sept. 15, 2023, in Dusseldorf, Germany. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
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During her sit-down with Winfrey, Markle addressed reports that she left Middleton, 41, in tears leading up to her 2018 royal wedding due to a disagreement over bridesmaid dresses.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, left, in conversation with Oprah Winfrey. (Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions via AP)
"The reverse happened," Markle told the TV mogul.
"And I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding, and she was upset about something," the duchess continued. "But she owned it, and she apologized, and she brought me flowers and a note apologizing. I actually think it’s – I don’t think it’s fair to her to get into the details of that because she apologized. And I’ve forgiven her."
Markle described Middleton as "a good person" and said people should not pit them against each other.
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"If you love me, you don’t have to hate her," Meghan Markle told Oprah Winfrey during her March 2021 televised interview about Kate Middleton. "And if you love her, you don’t have to hate me." (Karwai Tang)
"If you love me, you don’t have to hate her," said Markle. "And if you love her, you don’t have to hate me."
When asked if he ever envisioned Harry returning as a working royal again, whether in a full or part-time role, Morton replied "Never say never."
"But it seems that he and his wife are making their lives with their own charities, and they’ve got their own commercial angles," Morton explained. "Independently of the royal family, they’re wealthy in their own right. They’re successful in their own right."
Andrew Morton called the next chapter in the Sussex story the couple's "difficult second album." (Christoph Reichwein/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Morton described the next chapter in the Sussex saga as the couple’s "difficult second album," one where they will need to expand on their brand beyond airing their grievances. Morton said the couple is better off staying in the U.S.
"They’re not popular in Britain by any means," he claimed. "There’s no great movement in Britain for them to come back. They seem settled in the United States, and Harry’s doing what he always wanted to do. He never really wanted to be a royal, never really wanted to spend all his time on royal duties… They could have made something more if they’d given more attention and focus on what they’ve been asked to do."
"The queen deliberately gave Harry and Meghan jobs in the Commonwealth," said Morton. "She recognized that they could go live somewhere outside of Britain. They could go live in New Zealand, South Africa, or Canada and do their work from there… There wouldn’t be any kind of competition with William and Kate."
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in Montecito with their son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet. (Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)
"When the queen was Princess Elizabeth, and she had just gotten married, she and Prince Philip went to Malta for several years when they lived a perfectly normal life, doing a few royal engagements, but largely raising a family."
"The opportunity was there for Meghan and Harry, but they chose to go a different path," Morton added.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in the wealthy coastal city of Montecito with their two children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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