Royal Expert Speculates On Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's PR Scramble After Queen's Death - Exclusive

On September 8, 2022, U.K.'s longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96. BBC reports she was surrounded by loved ones during her last moments at Balmoral Castle — and those by her side included her son, now King Charles III, his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, and Prince William. Prince Harry rushed to Scotland from England but arrived after the queen's death was announced, per People.

It's no secret that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have a complicated relationship with the royal family. It all started when they stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and escalated following Harry and Meghan's bombshell revelation from their Oprah interview. But even then, Harry remained close with his grandmother. "We have a really special relationship. We talk about things she can't talk about with anyone else," he said during a "Today" interview in April 2022, per Insider. Queen Elizabeth II even supported the two when they left the U.K. "My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family," she wrote in a statement, per The New York Times. "Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the royal family, we respect and understand their wish."

With Queen Elizabeth gone, many have wondered what would happen to Harry and Meghan and if there are any hopes of reconciliation in the foreseeable future.

According to Kinsey Schofield, entertainment reporter, royal correspondent, and founder of To Di For Daily, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may face a PR problem now that the queen is gone. She exclusively told Nicki Swift that they may do another round of checking in their subsequent podcast episodes to ensure that nothing negative was said about the royal family.

"I suspect that Spotify or Archewell Audio had a strategy meeting today to take a magnifying glass through the remaining podcast episodes," she exclusively told Nicki Swift. "Several of her previous episodes referenced negative experiences, and if she continues to discuss those, it might be a PR nightmare for the Sussexes." Schofield also thinks that the couple will miss the queen as a "champion" for "unity" within the family, as Queen Elizabeth II was the "primary instigator." She added, "I believe the rest of the family wants to focus on the future and feel the Sussexes obsess over the past."

There is also a hope of reconnection, after all — but only after King Charles III and Prince William have settled into their new positions within the royal family. "I see reconciliation once King Charles and Prince William feel confident in the brand again," she continued. "Once they are comfortable in their new roles and feel like they are moving in a positive direction, they will likely be open to re-engaging."