Overview
- Catherine Mayer made the assessment in an interview published Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, telling Fox News Digital that the 2020 decision by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to step back from royal duties has inflicted lasting harm on the institution.
- The couple met privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla in July, but Meghan and their two children did not join Harry for the full U.K. visit because of continuing security concerns tied to the loss of taxpayer-funded protection.
- The Sussexes’ public disclosures — high‑profile interviews, a Netflix series and Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare — are credited by commentators with turning family disputes into a sustained reputational problem for the royal family.
- A practical consequence of the 2020 step back remains unresolved: the couple surrendered state-funded security when they left and Harry has sought its reinstatement on grounds of family safety.
- Analysts disagree about blame with some blaming the Sussexes’ public strategy and others pointing to palace culture and prior scandals such as Prince Andrew’s case, and polling cited by Mayer suggests the monarchy has lost ground especially with younger audiences.