The Scottish Retreat That Revealed Royal Rifts
Shortly after their royal wedding in May 2018, the newly appointed Duke and Duchess of Sussex received an invitation that appeared to signal warm acceptance into the royal fold. King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, invited Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to join him and Camilla at the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland - the beloved former residence of the Queen Mother.
Initial reports painted an idyllic picture of the weekend retreat, describing long walks along the rugged Scottish coastline, excellent meals, and quality family time. In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry recalled how the bond between his father and wife seemed to strengthen during their stay, particularly when Charles discovered that Meghan shared the August 4 birthdate with his grandmother, the Queen Mother.
Harry wrote that his father began "performing, showing off for Meg" after making this connection between the late Queen Mother and "my bride." The Duke of Sussex described evenings where Charles entertained them with stories about Scottish folklore, including tales of selkies - mythical creatures that take seal form.
The Hidden Tensions Beneath the Surface
However, according to royal biographer Tom Bower's book Revenge, this picturesque Scottish holiday concealed growing tensions within the royal household. King Charles's "bewilderment with the American" became increasingly apparent as the weekend progressed.
The central point of contention revolved around Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle, and his continued media appearances criticising the Royal Family. Charles had grown increasingly frustrated with Meghan's reluctance to reconcile with her father, believing that a resolution would stop his damaging public comments.
Bower reveals that Charles "berated" Harry during their stay, demanding to know: "Can't she just go and see him and make this stop?" The King's irritation reportedly "came to a head" as Thomas Markle's television interviews continued to generate negative headlines.
The situation reached such a critical point that the late Queen Elizabeth II joined her son for a conference call with Harry and Meghan while they were still at Castle Mey. During this call, both senior royals attempted to persuade the Duchess to fly to America to reconcile with her father.
Conflicting Accounts and Lasting Consequences
Meghan reportedly rejected the suggestion outright, arguing that any meeting would create a "frenzy of media attention and intrusion" that would ultimately cause more harm than good. She maintained that she had "no secure means of communication" with her father and couldn't trust that his phone was in his possession.
According to Bower, both Charles and the Queen found these excuses "far-fetched" and ended the call "perplexed" by Meghan's behaviour. Meanwhile, Meghan felt that her royal in-laws "fundamentally don't understand" her situation with her father.
The biographer also suggests that Camilla, who had "nothing in common" with the former actress, grew "apprehensive about Harry's future" with Meghan during their time together at the Scottish castle. Camilla reportedly sensed that Meghan wasn't the type to "sacrifice her independence to serve silently as a team-player."
Despite these underlying tensions, Harry's memoir recalls more magical moments from their stay, including singing to seals upon his father's suggestion and taking a spontaneous swim in the chilly Scottish waters. He described how the seals sang back when Meghan joined him, noting: "She really is magic. Even the seals know it."
Less than two years after this fateful Scottish holiday, Harry and Meghan would step back from royal duties and relocate to Montecito, California, where they now reside with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. The Castle of Mey visit, which began with such promise, ultimately revealed the fundamental differences in approach that would lead to the couple's dramatic departure from royal life.
