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It’s been a month since Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, hot-footed it over to the UK from California with their two children in tow.
Since then, there’s been a whole lot of royal drama to deal with.
The couple hurriedly removed Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, from school over security fears; they pushed back over King Charles’ decision to call them “private citizens”; and of course they have remained notably silent amid allegations against the royal family made in Earl Charles Spencer’s bombshell book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – a move one royal commentator labelled an “act of war”.
There’s certainly been a lot of headlines dedicated to the Duke and Duchess, who stepped back from royal duties amid Megxit in 2020 – and yet they’ve not yet stepped out together for a single public event.
While Harry has been out and about solo, shaking hands and giving speeches (he attended the Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards in London on September 17, and stepped out for the WellChild Awards on September 21), Meghan has been lying low.
The only glimpse the public has had of the former Suits star, was in footage taken at a pub in Oxfordshire where Meghan reportedly met with her ex-pat pals Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi on the very day Harry was headed to the WellChild Awards.
“There is a lot to do. They have just moved halfway across the world, and it’s been really busy getting the kids settled,” a source close to the couple told People.
“Their focus has been on that, and will remain on that, for the time being. They are happy to be back.”
However, sources tell Woman’s Day that there may be more to the story of Meghan’s retreat from the public eye – and it has something to do with her estranged sister-in-law Kate, Princess of Wales.
“Meghan was advised a while ago to be less accessible because it creates more interest so that’s the strategy she’s leaning into,” the insider shares.
“She is deliberately biding her time and staying out of sight intentionally, but she’s also got plenty of things keeping her busy.”
The source says that between unpacking, getting the kids settled and keeping her Es Ever lifestyle brand rolling, she is indeed busy “from morning until late at night”.
“When she does start stepping out more, the hope is that she’ll have built up enough anticipation that people will be excited to see her, rather than having her everywhere right away and the public getting sick of her,” the source goes on, adding that Harry understands Meghan’s position but is convinced she’s “worrying for nothing”.
The Duke reportedly believes that once his wife is back in the spotlight, she will receive a “fantastic reception” that could “easily generate the same kind of excitement Kate does”.
“Make no mistake, that is the goal,” the insider goes on.
“Meghan knows she and Kate are always going to be compared and she wants to prove she can make just as much of an impact, if not more.”
All eyes are now likely to be on Paris Fashion Week, which kicked off on September 28 and runs until October 6.
Meghan notably made quite the appearance when she attended back in 2025 and she sparked whispers that she may go this year, after she shared an image of one of her branded bookmarks resting on what appeared to be a Paris guidebook page on her As Ever Instagram page.
Certainly, it appears that the Duchess is taking the time to prioritise her wellbeing as she prepares to finally step out for her first public event.
The Sun reported that the 45-year-old has been attending pilates reformer classes in the “Wellness Barn” at swanky private members club Soho Farmhouse, in Oxfordshire.
“Meghan absolutely loves reformer pilates. It’s a great way for her to unwind as well as make new friends in the area,” a source told the outlet, adding that a “chatty and polite” Meghan had been a “regular” at the Wellness Barn.
“Everyone in the classes gives her space,” the insider continued. “It’s a very tranquil setting and no one wants to disturb her peace.”
