Simon Vigar Cites 2018 Australia Tour as Early Warning of Meghan's Royal Exit

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 12

Simon Vigar says Meghan Markle’s 2018 Australia-Pacific tour exposed early cracks in her role, arguing a culture clash with palace aides and mismatched expectations foreshadowed the Sussexes’ eventual royal exit.
In his new book, Vigar says Meghan struggled with the monarchy’s less controllable public-service model after a more tightly managed Hollywood career, while aides expected working royals to keep engagements even when unwell.
Vigar points to a Fiji market visit cut short in October 2018 as a key warning sign, disputing Team Sussex’s security explanation and suggesting the abrupt exit reflected deeper tension over how royal events were handled.
He also rejects the Sussexes’ view that palace staff and the British media were hostile from the start, saying press officers worked hard to support the couple before relations deteriorated by the end of 2019.
Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020 and later moved to California, after repeatedly criticizing the tabloid press and saying the royal institution failed to support them.