NEWS

‘Only I can save the royals’

With King Charles and Kate Middleton out of action, Meghan Markle hopes the dire situation will help turn her image around

Wfter the shock launch last week of her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, Meghan Markle is making it very clear that she means business.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has been advised in the past that she is not meant to use her royal status for money-making purposes, dropped the news of her business on Instagram last Thursday evening with a short video showing herself cooking, at exactly the same time her brother-in-law, Prince William, was talking at the Princess Diana Legacy Awards ceremony in London.

As well as her new brand – which will include luxury homeware products – there have been several reports that Meghan, 42, has also recently hired a new UK-based PR firm.

This, in addition to the news that Prince Harry and Meghan are set to return to the UK in May to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, is leading to speculation that the couple are planning on making a huge comeback on Harry’s home turf.

NEED OF SUPPORT

And the timing – with King Charles undergoing cancer treatment and Kate Middleton, 42, not only out of action after undergoing stomach surgery, but also coping with the new scandal over her Mother’s Day photo with George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, which she admitted to editing – has prompted royal insiders to now suggest that the Sussexes are trying to regain their popularity and seize their chance while they can.

A source says, “Meghan is still keen to keep a base in the US and continue pursuing her Hollywood dream, but with both Kate and Charles out of action and the rest of the royals working harder to compensate, they are clearly in need of support, and Meghan feels this could be the perfect time to come to the rescue. She’s keen to join Harry on his visit and use it to boost her royal currency – telling Harry that they should offer to step up.

“Of course, Meghan would like to make positive headlines in a royal capacity again, which would no doubt go down very well Stateside and up their worth there, as the American public would be reminded of their status and importance.”

OVERHAUL

After stepping down from their royal roles in 2020, Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, left the UK and relocated to the US, where they settled in Montecito, California, with their son Archie, four, and daughter Lilibet, two.

Despite no longer having a UK base – having lost their former home, Frogmore Cottage, last year – and with the Duchess allegedly “never feeling truly at home” during her time here, our source reveals that Meghan has now done a U-turn. It comes after the couple recently launched their Sussex.com website, formerly Archewell. com, complete with their royal titles and crest.