Meghan Markle Reportedly Endures 'Most Horrific Year' as Prince Harry Faces 'Bruising Turning Point'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have weathered public controversies before, but nothing quite prepared them for the relentless barrage that defined 2025. Sources close to the couple describe a twelve-month period marked by professional disappointments, family crises on both sides of the Atlantic, and a media storm that left little respite — culminating in what insiders are calling the most difficult year of their marriage.

Meghan Markle, 44, and Prince Harry, 41, began the year with renewed determination to forge independent professional paths after years of operating as an inseparable brand. Yet while both achieved notable individual successes — lucrative media projects, high-profile solo appearances, and new commercial ventures — the wins were consistently overshadowed by turbulence that threatened to undermine their carefully constructed public image.

The Divorce Rumours That Rattled Montecito

The year's troubles erupted early when a Vanity Fair article floated the idea that Markle's team had quietly tested market interest in a hypothetical 'divorce memoir'. Though the piece insisted the Sussexes remained deeply in love, the contradictory narrative ignited a firestorm.

One insider told RadarOnline: 'Meghan and Harry are well aware that their strength and worth lie in being a unit. Even if they ever wanted to go their separate ways, it wouldn't really be possible, and in truth, they are completely devoted to one another'.

Another source dismissed the story outright, describing it as 'deeply unfair'. 'It suggested a book and then denied there was one, implied she was planning for life after a split, whilst also insisting they were very much in love,' the insider said. 'It made no sense and wasn't backed up by any evidence'.

Renewed Scrutiny Over Management Style

The divorce speculation coincided with fresh allegations about Markle's conduct as an employer. The duchess has consistently denied bullying claims dating back to 2018, and former staff members publicly defended the couple last year, describing them as supportive and generous.

Yet Vanity Fair reported that some employees on Markle's payroll had struggled under intense pressure, with several allegedly taking extended leave or departing their roles entirely. The renewed allegations cast a shadow over the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever, and her Netflix cookery series, With Love, Meghan, which received lukewarm reviews.

Harry's Security Battle Deepens Royal Rift

Prince Harry's protracted legal fight over UK security arrangements added considerable strain throughout 2025. The Duke lost his challenge against the Home Office to reinstate automatic police protection, leaving him reliant on a case-by-case system requiring 30 days' notice for British visits.

Harry has publicly stated he does not feel safe bringing his children — Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 — to Britain without armed protection. In a BBC interview following the ruling, he revealed the dispute had caused King Charles, 77, to stop speaking to him, describing the situation as an 'establishment stitch up'.

Relations thawed slightly later in the year when father and son met privately for tea at Clarence House. However, tensions with Prince William, 43, remain unresolved, with communications experts noting that Harry's Remembrance letter hinted at a longing to return home.

'Harry grew up in an environment where humour, teasing and quick-fire banter were central to how he related to people, and that was especially true of his bond with his brother William,' one expert observed. Harry reportedly misses the camaraderie and spontaneity of his former life in Britain and desperately wishes to return home.

The duke raised eyebrows by announcing a Remembrance tour of Canada that clashed directly with William's official visit to Brazil, prompting claims of a fresh royal war.

A royal commentator remarked: 'Taken together, these actions do not suggest someone who is genuinely motivated to rebuild bridges or engage constructively with his family. Instead, it comes across as impulsive and poorly judged, and, given the sensitivities involved, ultimately feels irresponsible'.

Family Tragedy Compounds Pressure

Commercially, Markle faced mixed fortunes. She relaunched herself online, unveiled As Ever, and released With Love, Meghan on Netflix, but the couple's lucrative streaming deal was replaced with a more limited first-look arrangement. The year darkened further when Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., 81, underwent a leg amputation.

Sources said the episode weighed heavily on the Duchess, compounding what one insider described as a 'steady, unrelenting build-up of pressure' coming at them 'from all sides', which left the couple 'little room to breathe or recover before the next challenge arrived'.

One source added: 'It was the constant stream of scandal and family feuds that made 2025 the worst year of their married lives — and probably of Meghan's entire life. Harry's worst year was obviously the year in which his mother died, but 2025 was hardly kind to him either. As a couple, it's fair to say the last twelve months have been among the worst of their lives.'