It appears that the American dream of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as they had envisaged. Their attempts to ascend the U.S. political ladder have reportedly met a bit of turbulence.
According to insider reports, following Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last year, the Sussexes had requested a lift back to the U.S. on the prestigious Air Force One. However, the couple was not offered the sought-after ride. This comes on the heels of the first lady, Jill Biden, previously declining an invitation to attend Harry’s Invictus Games charity event. The hesitation was due to potential concerns over upsetting the royal family.
Observers suggest that these incidents are elements of Harry and Meghan’s broader strategy to gain political traction within the United States. In 2021, Meghan reached out to lawmakers on Capitol Hill with an open letter advocating for paid family leave. Reports also suggest attempts from the Duchess to form connections with the Bidens, but the success of these endeavors is yet to be seen.
The road hasn’t been smooth for Harry and Meghan in their transatlantic endeavors. After attending Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September, the pair found themselves notably excluded from a Buckingham Palace reception. Their request for a lift home aboard Air Force One with the president and first lady met a similar fate.
An inside source illuminated the rationale behind the rejection, explaining, “It would have caused such a commotion. It would have strained relations with the Palace and the new King.”
Fast forward to May, Harry attended King Charles III’s coronation solo, adding another turn to the couple’s tumultuous journey post-royal life.
Meanwhile, in the realm of media, the couple’s venture into podcasting was short-lived. Their $20 million deal with Spotify was canceled after just one season, with Spotify executive Bill Simmons not shying away from his unflattering description of the pair as “grifters.”
Despite the successive setbacks, Harry and Meghan seem to attribute their difficulties to mere misfortune and external events like the COVID-19 pandemic. One source shares, “The word is that they think they’ve been really unlucky.”
In the grand scheme of things, these incidents underscore a critical lesson: political influence cannot be attained overnight and certainly not without careful navigation. It also serves as a gentle reminder that not all that glitters is gold, even for a prince and a Hollywood actress.
