Meghan Markle would have felt ‘humiliated’ and filled with ‘a lot of sadness’ during her first visit to the UK in four years – a trip where she was never seen in public, friends of the Duchess have told People magazine.

The Duchess of Sussex is letting her husband take the lead in the ongoing conflict with his family, including the row over staying at Buckingham Palace, sources claim.

But despite Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet’s reunion with King Charles, she was left with ‘a lot of sadness’ after plans to support her husband at several public engagements in Britain fell apart.

Harry had wanted Meghan and his young family to join him for the entirety of the five-day trip, which was focused on Invictus and his former charities. 

Instead, he flew to Britain alone, and hours before he arrived in London, fresh chaos erupted when an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace was withdrawn.

Meghan delayed her arrival and entered the country secretly with Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, amid ongoing security concerns.

A friend of the couple told People magazine, widely considered the Sussexes’ preferred publication in the US, that Meghan would have felt ‘humiliated’ by the way the week unfolded.

A second source said Meghan ‘is very supportive’ of Harry, but that there was ‘a lot of sadness’ at being unable to stand alongside him publicly in London and Birmingham.

Meghan is said to have been humiliated by how the UK trip unfolded – leaving her particularly sad that she felt she could not support him at any Invictus event, sources said

Prince Harry walked the red carpet at the TIME100 Sports Gala in New York City on Thursday. Meghan is said to let him take the lead when dealing with his family

The King is said to have lost patience when Harry dithered over an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace at the start of his trip.

The Duke initially rejected the accommodation before changing his mind and attempting to accept after the deadline had passed.

Harry’s spokesman subsequently briefed the BBC that he would be staying at the Palace, only for the King’s aides to indicate that he had left it too late.

When it comes to Harry’s relationship with his family, Meghan ‘always lets him lead’, a third source told People.

‘This is not the first time it has not been plain sailing with correspondence or trying to make things work,’ the source said.

‘It all comes back to security. If that was resolved, there would be so much more certainty every time he comes – or they come.’

The week ended on a happier note with a secret family reunion involving the King and Queen Camilla at Highgrove – the first time Charles had seen his daughter-in-law and grandchildren since 2022.

But Meghan missed all of Harry’s public Invictus Games engagements, something friends say left her deeply upset.

A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has been asked to comment. 

Harry is said to have been ‘buoyed’ and ‘really energised’ following his family reunion with King Charles.

The Duke of Sussex was ‘very happy’ that his wife and children joined him to spend time with his father and stepmother, Queen Camilla, at Highgrove.

Harry and his family are believed to have met the King and Queen for more than an hour.

The King is said to have been determined to see his grandchildren for the first time in four years during a week in which Harry suffered a crushing defeat in his privacy court case against the Daily Mail.

Friends of Harry claimed he was ‘buoyed, very happy and really energised’ after the meeting, which also marked the monarch’s first time meeting with Archie and Lilibet in four years.

His wife Meghan Markle, who was famously accompanied down the aisle by her father-in-law the King on their wedding day in 2018, was also present after secretly flying the family to Britain.

King Charles faced criticism in some quarters for meeting Harry and Meghan after suffering years of potshots at the Royal Family from California since Megxit, including claims of racism.

But a royal source responded that ‘blood is blood’ when asked about the decision to meet.

‘Every journey of a thousand miles begins with one footstep,’ the source added.

Harry and his family are believed to have spent around an hour at Highgrove with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The gathering was particularly significant because it marked the first time that Meghan, Archie and Lilibet had seen the 77-year-old monarch – who is still undergoing treatment for cancer – in person since 2022.

Earlier in the day, there had been clues that something important was unfolding when Harry arrived at an engagement for the Invictus Games at the National Exhibition Centre, near Birmingham.

An observer said: ‘Harry turned up at Invictus with a massive smile plastered all over his face.’

Harry was said to be absolutely thrilled to have reconnected with his father in a meeting that saw Meghan, Lilibet and Archie also see the King for the first time since 2022

The family reunion at Highgrove had clearly put Harry in high spirits following a week dominated by negative headlines, including a row over his security and a crushing defeat in his court case over privacy against the Daily Mail.

After the visit to Highgrove, the Duke of Sussex was all smiles as he appeared at Scotty’s Summer Festival at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire. 

Harry is the global ambassador for the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved children from military families.

During the festival, Harry posed playfully with children as he took part in ‘goat yoga’, surrounded by the animals. At one point, he joked: ‘Is there health and safety? Do they bite?’, before taking his place on a mat and performing the tree pose on one leg while miming goats’ ears with his hands.

As Harry lay on his back and the goats trampled over his body, someone in the crowd quipped that his security team should step in to ‘protect the crown jewels’.

The Sussexes are believed to have been staying at the Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire – the ancestral home of Princess Diana’s family and where she is buried on a private island in the middle of a lake.

The Duke of Sussex made his first public appearance since the UK trip – again without Meghan – as he walked the red carpet for the TIME100 Sports Gala in New York City last night. 

Harry revealed he is among the millions of England fans left heartbroken by the team’s World Cup exit.

The Duke of Sussex said he was upset that the Three Lions lost to Argentina as he joined LeBron James, Lindsey Vonn, Jalen Brunson, Folarin Balogun and other sporting royalty for the glitzy event in New York. 

After arriving at the gala, Harry – who was without his wife Meghan Markle – was asked if he was sad after England lost in the World Cup semi-finals in Atlanta.

‘Of course!’ the 41-year-old told Page Six, in his first appearance since a week in the UK to promote his Invictus Games.

Harry is pictured alongside US soccer star Folarin Balogun during the event in New York

The Duke also spoke with Eric Kelliher, from TIME, and fellow guest of honour Lindsey Vonn

Harry with former NBA star Masai Ujiri

Harry was in New York after being named among the 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 in the ‘leaders’ category.

England threw away a 1-0 lead in the dying moments of Wednesday’s semifinal against bitter rivals Argentina in Atlanta.

The Three Lions were beaten 2-1 after Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic late comeback for the defending champions.

Harry’s older brother, Prince William, previously posted on social media that he was ‘gutted’ after Thomas Tuchel’s team fell short of a first World Cup final in six decades.

‘England, you gave it everything and we are all so proud of you,’ he wrote. ‘Thank you to everyone on and off the pitch, for an incredible tournament. 

‘The fight and belief you have shown has inspired us all… the most complete England team in a tournament,’ he continued. ‘Hold your heads high.’