Meghan Markle accused of reopening emotional wounds as experts call for reconciliation
Veteran columnist Sarah Vine has urged the royal family to extend love, understanding, and forgiveness to Prince Harry, arguing that only through such compassion can the Duke of Sussex begin to heal the emotional scars left by his mother’s death.
In a candid opinion piece for the Daily Mail, Vine claimed that Harry’s trauma has been intensified—not eased—by his marriage to Meghan Markle. “These are complex, deep-seated emotional wounds that may well take a lifetime to heal, if they ever will,” she wrote. “That’s why, fundamentally, taking steps to welcome the wayward duke back into the family is the right thing.”
Vine suggests that while both Harry and Prince William experienced deep grief after the loss of Princess Diana nearly three decades ago, their coping mechanisms—and support systems—have differed greatly. William, she said, found stability in his marriage to Catherine. In contrast, Meghan, according to Vine, “seems to have re-opened [Harry’s wounds]—or even rubbed salt in them.”
The column adds to a growing chorus of voices calling for an end to the long-standing rift between Harry and the royal family. Royal author Andrew Norman Wilson recently warned that a failure to reconcile could create serious tension when Prince William eventually becomes king.
Wilson noted, “When Charles vacates the stage, as one day he must, and William is anointed, a middle-aged brother in exile, on non-speakers with the sovereign but with a potential audience of billions, could do incalculable damage.”
Vine’s message was ultimately one of reconciliation, emphasising that Harry is not beyond reach. “If you can grab them and hold them to your heart, show them the love and understanding they need, soothe their hurt with the balm of forgiveness, you can perhaps help them begin to move forwards,” she wrote.
While tensions remain high, voices like Vine’s highlight the possibility—however fragile—of a renewed bond within the House of Windsor.
