Prince Harry's hopes of mending ties with the royal family could be undermined by claims that Meghan Markle discussed a private reunion at a Hollywood dinner party, a PR expert has said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently returned to the UK, with reports placing them in the Cotswolds and their children Archie and Lilibet enrolled in schools. Earlier this month, lifestyle guru Martha Stewart allegedly said at a California dinner party that Meghan had "just gotten back from the palace" and spoke about a trip to Europe that included a rare meeting with King Charles.
Claims disputed by sources
Sources have dismissed Stewart's account as "simply untrue," adding: "Meghan didn't talk about her European vacation other than to say the family had a great time."
Olivia Bennett, Digital PR Director at SEO and PR agency Go Up, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about the awkward Hollywood run-in and its implications for the Duke of Sussex.
"Obviously, none of us actually know what Meghan said at that dinner. Martha has given one version and someone else who was reportedly there has disputed it, so I wouldn't present it as fact that Meghan was sitting there gossiping about the Royals," Bennett said.
Discretion vital for trust
"But if Martha's version is right and Meghan was discussing details of that reunion socially, then yes, I do think that could cause problems for Harry," she added.
The duke has been vocal about his desire to reconcile with King Charles. Bennett noted: "Harry seems to be making a genuine effort to rebuild some of those relationships. He and Meghan recently reunited privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla, and there are now reports that Harry wants to spend more time back in the UK. If you're trying to rebuild trust with family after years of very public fallout, discretion is going to matter enormously."
She continued: "And I don't think having your wife apparently dropping details of a private Royal meeting into dinner-party conversation would help that. Even if what was said was completely harmless, the fact it has ended up becoming a headline is probably exactly the sort of thing you don't want happening while you're trying to convince people that private conversations can stay private."
Reconciliation efforts face hurdle
"So if Harry is rebuilding these relationships one conversation at a time, I imagine the last thing he needs is any suggestion that those conversations might later become anecdotes at a dinner party," Bennett said.
She concluded: "Whether Meghan actually did that is disputed, but if she did, I can absolutely see why it would make an already delicate reconciliation harder."
Harry and Meghan have officially relocated back to the UK with their children, Archie and Lilibet. The family arrived on August 26, 2026, intending to live long-term in a new home in the Cotswolds.
