A sweet image of Prince George was the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family, according to an expert

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s strained ties with the Royal family appear to be irreparably damaged, with the Duke alleging that his father, the King, has stopped speaking to him. The rift between the Sussexes and the royals can be traced back to their decision to step away from royal duties.

An expert suggests that a charming photo of Prince George served as a ‘wake up call’ for Harry and Meghan, solidifying their choice to leave the Firm. The picture in question depicted the late Queen alongside her three successors, then-Prince Charles, Prince William and six year old Prince George, in the throne room at Buckingham Palace.

The image was unveiled at the start of 2020, just days before Harry and Meghan announced their intention to resign as working royals. At first glance, the photo simply represented the monarchy’s future, echoing many historical portraits.

However, it is believed to have sparked discontent behind closed doors, reports the Mirror.

In his book Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, Andrew Morton wrote: “The royal couple suspected that the entire institution was conspiring against them. As they saw it, the evidence was all around them. The unspoken code was straightforward: the future of the monarchy was assured, with or without Meghan and Harry”.

Speaking on The Mirror’s Pod Save The King podcast, Morton disclosed that Harry and Meghan contemplated their Royal exit much earlier than most people were aware, with discussions beginning a mere six months post-nuptials. “Harry was having conversations in a London hotel with Oprah Winfrey back in November 2018, just six months after they’d been married. So they were thinking about a different direction of travel pretty early on.”

This revelation surfaces as Prince Harry has faced scrutiny following his BBC News interview last week, coming on the heels of a dismissed legal challenge regarding his security arrangements after he relinquished his role as a senior member of the Royal family in 2020. In his recent interview, Prince Harry expressed, “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”

Focusing on his relationship with his father, he remarked, “Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” referring to King Charles. “He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile.”

Harry also suggested that his father could play a pivotal role in resolving his security issues. “There is a lot of control and ability in my father’s hands,” he claimed.

“Ultimately, this whole thing could be resolved through him. Not necessarily by intervening, but by stepping aside, allowing the experts to do what is necessary.”

The palace has firmly refuted claims that the King can reinstate Prince Harry’s security. A source disclosed to the Sunday Telegraph their concerns about privacy, stating, “nothing that can be trusted to remain private” and highlighting the lack of contact by saying, “as for their being no contact, well, he has just proven why, yet again”.

Meanwhile, another source told ITV News: “For a son who claims to want a family reconciliation, it’s certainly a very curious way to build bridges or offer olive branches. His beloved grandmother would have been truly horrified. The King is a kind man with a warm heart and quite enough on his plate to deal with, without all this from his son.”