September 8 will mark one year since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen’s death was mourned the world over, but of course, no one was affected as profoundly as the members of the royal family.
At the time, there were faint hopes that Elizabeth’s heirs would come together in the wake of her passing and honor her memory by settling their differences.
Obviously, that didn’t happen.
In fact, in the wake of Harry’s controversial memoir, it seems that the dueling factions of the Windsor clan are more deeply divided than ever before.
Still, reports that Harry and Meghan might visit London for the anniversary of the Queen’s passing have created a rising tide of optimism among those who are hoping for a reconciliation.
The couple is due in Dusseldorf for the start of the Invictus Games on September 9, but there have been rumors that they’ll stop by London on the way to pay tribute to Harry’s beloved grandmother.
Of course, critics of the couple are already complaining about the possibility of Meghan returning to the UK for the first time since Elizabeth’s funeral.
“I think they’re doing this whole thing about they want to come back,” journalist Angela Levin griped in a recent Sky News Australia.
“They were going to rent a room in one of the palaces and be there so that they can help, but nobody wants them to help.”
Obviously, Levin has no idea how the royals feel about the prospect of Harry and Meghan visiting London to pay tribute to Elizabeth, but complete ignorance of the subject at hand has never prevented her from running her mouth before.
Of course, Levin probably has nothing to worry about, as it remains unlikely that Harry and Meghan will pay a surprise visit to Buckingham Palace.
Several sources have claimed that Meghan has been rapidly losing weight and showing signs of increased stress in recent weeks, so there’s a good chance that she’ll be avoiding any unnecessary for the foreseeable future.
And as PR professional Mark Boardman tells Newsweek, this would not be a good time for the Duchess of Sussex to be absent from Los Angeles for an extended period of time.
Recent polls indicate that Meghan has suffered a decline in popularity, and the sooner she addresses the problem, the more likely it is that she’ll be able to rectify it.
Industry experts believe the UK is a lost cause, and Meghan should focus all of her energy on winning back fans in the US.
“Meghan’s character traits are rarely seen from the public eye, but we see glimpses of her private life and her dedication to friends, family, and charitable causes,” Boardman says.
“She’s driven by a realistic ambition for personal success,” says Boardman.
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the premiere of Meghan’s Spotify podcast, which was canceled after its first season.
It was an embarrassing development, but Boardman says that setback need not derail Meghan’s media career.
“The podcast was always a stepping stone to larger endeavors, and its conclusion ushers in a new chapter that requires careful consideration of the medium for Meghan’s long-term plans that largely remain hidden outside her inner-circle,” he says.
“It’s noteworthy that Meghan thrives in the company of people and has been present at numerous events of late without Harry by her side,” Boardman adds.
While a stopover in the UK seems unlikely, Meghan will be by Harry’s side for at least part of his upcoming trip to Germany — and Boardman believes she should seize the opportunity to polish her public image.
“Despite her absence from the media scene since last year, both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will attend the Invictus Games, set in Dusseldorf, Germany,” Boardman said.
“It’s evident that while Meghan will capitalize from the success of Harry’s notable venture, her aspirations are deeply rooted in her identity as an accomplished actress and not as a plus one.”
Obviously, improving her reputation would not be Meghan’s main reason for making the trip to Germany.
But it’s a good chance to remind the world that she’s not the monster the British tabloid press makes her out to be.