Prince Harry was recently spotted addressing a meeting of NATO military officials, and fans were quick to notice a delightful detail related to Meghan Markle amid rumors that she feels “strained” due to their “separate lives” in recent times.
The Duke of Sussex, aged 40, participated in a NATO military committee meeting via video link, where he discussed his Invictus Games initiative for ill and injured active and former servicemen and women.
Accompanying Harry was a delegation from his Invictus organization, who had journeyed to New York to brief the committee on “the breadth and development of the Invictus programme and the progress it is making to expand the scope of its mission”. During the meeting, Harry looked dapper in a suit and tie, sporting a poppy on his jacket.
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Fans noticed several framed photos on shelves behind the Duke, with one appearing to be a snapshot of him and Meghan from their wedding day in Windsor in May 2018. The photo depicts Harry in his military uniform and Meghan in her Givenchy wedding dress, enjoying a carriage ride post-ceremony.
This subtle nod to Meghan comes as the couple has been making increasingly separate public appearances. Meghan once described their relationship as “salt and pepper”, always moving together.
However, this hasn’t been the case in recent weeks since their tour of Colombia in August, leading many to speculate. One source told OK! that the royal couple has been unhappy over the split rumors.
“She has really felt the strain in recent weeks, and with all the speculation surrounding her and Harry and their marriage,” they claimed. “They haven’t done themselves any favors by doing so many separate events but this is what they have decided to do as it works best for them at the moment as a couple and they both feel they can shine at events that are close to their hearts.”
An insiders share that the solo ventures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are due to an evolving strategy, with one pal spilling the beans to People magazine: “It’s clear that a twin-track approach is evolving.”
Meanwhile, another confidant points out: “The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track.”
Harry’s engagement at NATO emerged from a conversation with Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of the military committee, during the 10th-year celebration of the Invictus Games at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
During their New York sit-down, the Admiral shone a light on the pivotal role of the Invictus Games Foundation in supporting service members, veterans, and their families, stating: “I believe the work of the Invictus Games Foundation to be very important – and it strikes at the heart of our shared values as military personnel.”
The upcoming Invictus Games will feature winter sports for the first time in Vancouver and Whistler next year. News has recently broken that Birmingham clinched the Invictus Games for 2027, fending off a strong bid from Washington DC with hefty UK government support amounting to £26 million.
Expectations are high for the event to unfold at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in July in three years, with pickleball, laser run, and esports rumored to make their debut.
The Games will be returning to the UK for the first time since the Duke hosted the inaugural tournament in London in 2014. This homecoming raises questions about whether Harry’s father, the King, his brother, the Prince of Wales, and other Royal family members will attend to support the event.
Charles and William were by Harry’s side when he launched this major venture a decade ago, joining him at the opening ceremony and later accompanying him as they enjoyed the athletics together in high spirits. However, much has changed since then, with Harry stepping down as a working Royal alongside the Duchess of Sussex and relocating to the US.
His relationship with his father has been strained, and his ongoing feud with his brother has been exacerbated by the criticism he directed at Charles, the Queen, William, and the Princess of Wales in his Netflix documentary and memoir, Spare. It remains uncertain whether Meghan will join Harry. Her last public appearance in the UK was at the late Queen’s funeral in 2022.