Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as working royals in January 2020. With having to adjust to the non-royal life while being on the end of so much scrutiny, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the Sussexes.
The couple currently resides in California’s Montecito area with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The Sussexes’ relationship with the royals soured even more after Prince Harry released his memoir Spare. His relationship with King Charles has also been strained, according to several reports.
Even though Prince Harry has left the royal life behind, Meghan Markle seems to maintain an attachment to it. Here are the 5 things that make us think the Duchess of Sussex regrets leaving royal life behind.
Meghan’s attachment to her title
Meghan became a part of the royal family after her grand wedding with Prince Harry in May 2018. The former actress also took on the title of the Duchess of Sussex along with royal duties. The 43-year-old seems to be particularly attached to her title, and a clip from her show ‘With Love, Meghan’ is proof of it.
An episode of the Netflix show features the actress and Meghan’s friend, Mindy Kaling. The star mistakenly keeps calling Meghan by her maiden name, which seems to prompt the former royal to correct her. “It’s so funny that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now,” she is heard saying.
Meghan Markle says she never corrected Mindy Kaling, and in her words: “I think people right now need to take a closer look at what I said about I’m Sussex now, because it’s not really what it sounds like or what it means. Of course I am Meghan Markle. That clip of ours went… pic.twitter.com/1mIdVM2KHE
— Foster (@foster__braxton) April 13, 2025
The awkward moment quickly gained attention with many netizens even trolling Meghan for it. A PageSix report has revealed that the Duchess also still uses ‘HRH’ even after being stripped of the title by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Sources tell the outlet that even Meghan’s stationery features the title. “With the Compliments of HRH the Duchess of Sussex,” her stationery allegedly reads.
Meghan Markle might be missing people waiting on her
As a royal, the Duchess was expected to be waited on by several staff members. Like any other royal family member, Meghan was likely assigned a whole team of people who would cater to all her needs. After stepping down as a senior royal, her new life did not exactly come with the same luxuries.
The Sussexes reportedly hired a team of staff in their Montecito home to replicate the comforts of royal life. “Undoubtedly, the Sussexes would like to rule over a ‘royal court’ from their Montecito mansion,” Tom Bower tells the Daily Mail.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary amid ongoing challenges. Reflecting on their journey, Markle shared cherished family photos on Instagram, emphasizing love and support in their lives. pic.twitter.com/spPXnUPtxz
— Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) May 19, 2025
The royal expert also claims that the couple would be extremely pleased by “courtiers pulling their forelocks as they bow and scrape to please the Duke and Duchess.” He also goes on to allege that Meghan would love to “compete” with Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace.
The Sussexes have also found it difficult to retain the staff that they have hired. Various ex-employees have reportedly spoken about their unpleasant experiences of working for the couple. PR executive Josh Kettler, who was hired as Meghan and Harry’s chief of staff, quit his job just three months after being employed. The couple has reportedly lost 18 employees to date.
Meghan and Harry’s faux royal tours
The biggest indicator of the Sussexes holding on to the royal life could be what the Daily Mail has previously labelled as the “faux royal tour.” The couple took a trip to Nigeria in May 2024 for the Invictus Games Foundation.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle embarked on a 72-hour tour to promote the Invictus Games, landing in Nigeria for their first official visit to the West African nation.
The trip holds special significance for Meghan, who recently shared on her Archetypes podcast that a genealogy… pic.twitter.com/viYdCiDgSO
— African Hub (@AfricanHub_) May 19, 2024
Nigeria became the first African country to join the Community of Nations, started by the foundation. In August 2024, Harry and Meghan went to Colombia to raise awareness about their charity initiative. Various outlets couldn’t help but report on how similar these tours seemed to royal tours. ABC News even called the couple’s Colombia trip a “quasi-royal tour.”
Scroll down to see pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
