Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Branded As 'Toxic Combination' Ahead of King Charles' 75th Birthday

The timing of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s announcement on King Charles' birthday was "deplorable," a royal expert stated. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were also called a "toxic combination," describing them as "unpredictable but also unpopular."

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Blasted Over The Timing of Their Announcement

The Sunday Times reported last week that King Charles’ youngest son had reportedly snubbed an invitation to his birthday celebrations at Clarence House on November 14. According to reports, the father and son "don't speak much" because of King Charles' "disappointment" with Prince Harry's portrayal of his family life in his biography “Spare.”

On Monday evening, a spokesperson for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reacted, claiming that the Duke of Sussex had not received an invitation and that the couple had received "no contact" from Buckingham Palace, despite accusations that they had declined. "There has been no contact regarding an invitation to His Majesty's upcoming birthday. It is disappointing the Sunday Times has misreported this story," the Sussexes’ representative told the Mail.

The announcement happened just hours before King Charles delivered his first King's Speech in Parliament and Prince William accepted the Earthshot Prize in Singapore. According to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, the schism in the Royal Family is "extremely wide" and inviting Prince Harry would have been a bad choice.

"The rift in the royal family is extremely wide and it would clearly not have been a good idea to invite them. More books may follow Harry’s memoir Spare and Harry may well soon be back in court,” Richard said. He added that both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are "unpredictable but also unpopular" which makes a "toxic combination.”

Prince Harry Advised to Skip King Charles’ 75th Birthday Celebrations

Meanwhile, Prince Harry is unlikely to travel to London to celebrate King Charles' 75th birthday after claiming he received “no contact” about attending his father's party. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Duke of Sussex had "snubbed" an invitation to his father's 75th birthday party at Clarence House next week.

However, royal commentator Jennie Bond highlighted that missing the celebration could help the Duke escape an awkward evening with Prince William, Kate, the Princess of Wales, and other prominent members of the Royal Family. Since stepped down as a senior royal, Prince Harry's relationship with his family has been strained, a schism that his and Meghan Markle's statements about life in the institution have further aggravated.

"Imagine how horribly awkward his presence would make the whole evening. What we have now is a pretty stable, happy family unit in the King and Queen, William and Catherine, the Edinburghs and the Princess Royal and their families. On the other side of the Atlantic, we have the estranged and disgruntled outsiders, Harry and Meghan. If they, or just Harry, rocked up at Clarence House it would inevitably put a real dampener on the celebration,” Jennifer said.

The former BBC royal correspondent also stated that reconciliation must take place before Meghan Markle and Prince Harry can be included in family functions again. "The air is still heavy with recrimination and hurt on both sides. That needs to be sorted before the family can genuinely unite in celebration,’ Jennifer told OK! Magazine.

While Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been invited to important official occasions such as the late Queen Elizabeth's burial and the King's Coronation earlier this year, they have not attended smaller private celebrations in years. Over the summer, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were given an "open invitation" to join King Charles and Queen Camilla on the family's annual getaway to Balmoral, according to royal commentator Robert Jobson.

The royal pair allegedly declined the offer, and Prince Harry avoided meeting with his father on his brief visit to the U.K. in September. According to an insider last month, while signaling his readiness to welcome the Duke back, King Charles doesn't "speak much" with his youngest son.

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