Prince Harry has frequently made comparisons between his wife, Meghan Markle, and his late mother, Princess Diana. In countless interviews and public speeches, Harry has stressed the qualities he believes both ladies have, praising Meghan as embodying Diana’s legacy of compassion, resilience, and dedication to service. However, Harry has voiced significant sadness that his family has failed to see these commonalities, resulting in tensions and misunderstandings inside the royal household.
Harry has been open about Meghan’s similarities to Diana since the beginning of their relationship. He has commented of Meghan’s natural ability to connect with people from all walks of life, her concern for the impoverished, and her love for charitable work—all of which were important to Diana’s public character.
Meghan, like Diana, has participated in several humanitarian activities, fighting for topics such as mental health, women’s rights, and social justice. Harry has frequently emphasized how Meghan’s warmth and approachability, similar to his mother’s, have left an indelible impression on everyone who meet her.
Despite these commonalities, Harry has acknowledged to feeling let down by his family’s lack of recognition of these similarities. He has voiced dissatisfaction that the royal family, whom he expected to welcome Meghan with broad arms, has instead appeared apathetic or even contemptuous of the qualities she shares with Diana. This has caused Harry a great deal of anguish, as he has always loved his mother’s memories and thought that Meghan would be seen with the same admiration and respect.
In private discussions and public interviews, Harry has mentioned particular situations where he believes Meghan and Diana’s parallels were obvious yet went undetected or undervalued by his family. For example, he has praised Meghan’s ability to handle media scrutiny with elegance and dignity, much as Diana did, despite the constant pressure. Harry has also highlighted Meghan’s determination to utilize her platform to raise awareness about vital problems, as Diana did with her work on HIV/AIDS awareness and landmine removal.
The lack of recognition from his family has been especially painful for Harry, who sees it as a squandered opportunity for unity and mutual understanding. He has stated that, rather than viewing Meghan as an outsider or a disruptor, his family might have welcomed the common ground she shares with Diana, potentially bringing them closer together. Instead, the perceived apathy has widened the gap between Harry and the rest of the royal family, adding to his and Meghan’s decision to stand down from their official obligations.
This disappointment can also be seen in Harry’s continual battle to reconcile his royal pedigree with his desire to protect his wife and family. He has spoken frankly about the emotional toll of seeing Meghan confront issues comparable to those his mother had, such as heavy media scrutiny and a lack of institutional assistance.
Harry’s intention to keep Meghan from suffering the same fate as Diana has driven many of his decisions, including the couple’s relocation to North America and quest of financial independence.
In interviews, Harry has made it obvious that his feelings for Meghan are inextricably linked to his memories of Diana. He has frequently stated that his mother would be proud of the lady he chose to marry, and that she would understand the difficult decisions he has taken to protect his family. Despite the schism between his relatives, Harry remains confident that one day they will recognize Meghan for who she truly is—a lady who shares Diana’s compassion, fortitude, and dedication to making the world a better place.
