An olive branch of their own? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are changing “direction” when it comes to how King Charles III will be portrayed in their upcoming projects, a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.
“They’ve both agreed to reach a neutral ground by softening the parts on Charles and adding intimate details about [Queen Elizabeth II‘s] legacy,” the insider says of the pair’s upcoming Netflix documentary and Harry’s highly anticipated memoir.
The Suits alum, 41, and her husband, 38, are hoping to keep their revelations “interesting without crossing a line” following the queen’s death at 96 in September, the source tells Us.
Harry and Meghan signed a multiyear deal with Netflix in September 2020 after announcing their step back from senior royal duties earlier that year. The goal of the partnership is to create a variety of content for the streaming giants, from documentaries and movies to original series and children’s programming. At the time, an insider exclusively told Us that the couple were offered nearly $100 million for the deal.
A release date for the royal duo’s docuseries has yet to be confirmed. Similarly, it’s unknown when Harry’s memoir will officially hit shelves after it was announced in July 2021. With so many projects coming down the pipeline, the Archewell cofounders are leaning on one another even more.
“He’s so grateful to Meghan for her input and they make all of these big decisions together, so of course there’s that balancing act of weighing up pros and cons to consider,” the source tells Us. “And it goes the other way, too — he’s equally involved in her big picture, they’re very much at one that way and maintain they always will be.”
The Duke of Sussex is adjusting some of what will appear in his memoir, especially in regards to his father, 73, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, per the insider. However, Harry and the Bench author are still set on telling their stories.
“Meghan moved to America to have a voice and feels it’s important for Harry to speak up about matters close to his heart, including his family,” a second source reveals.
Tensions have been high between Harry and his relatives across the pond since he and Meghan relocated to California. In March 2021, the former military pilot alleged during a CBS sit-down that Charles “stopped taking [his] calls” and cut him off financially following the couple’s exit.
“I feel really let down. He’s been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like. I will always love him, but there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened,” Harry said at the time, referring to the intense scrutiny Charles faced during his marriage and subsequent divorce from the late Princess Diana.
The newly anointed king, for his part, has seemingly tried to reach out to his youngest son and Meghan amid the family drama. In his first speech as British monarch last month, Charles expressed his “love” for Harry and the retired actress.
“I think the king has made it very clear that he wants to heal the rift,” royal expert Gareth Russell told Us in September. “Family dynamics, of course, are always complicated, but … the king, even when he was Prince of Wales, I think has made it very clear that he would, he would like a better relationship with the Duke of Sussex. So let’s hope that the olive branch is something that works.”
For more on Harry and Meghan’s life outside of the palace, watch the video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
