What Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Relationship With Princess Eugenie Is Reportedly Like Today

Princess Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew, grew up alongside Prince Harry and Prince William. However, the relationship between her and Prince Harry was particularly close, given that they were both younger members of the royal family, with only a six-year age gap between them. "Eugenie had always been more than just a cousin to Harry. They were also the closest of friends," authors Caroyln Durand and Omid Scobie wrote in a royal biography about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. During the infamous sit-down with Oprah in 2021, Meghan Markle also revealed that she and Princess Eugenie were already acquainted well before she began dating Prince Harry. That said, Princess Eugenie's loyalty to the Sussexes is not as ironclad as the royals would have it seem. Unfortunately, it seems as if the ongoing rift between Harry and William has taken its toll on the years-long friendship between the cousins.

"This whole drama between him and Meghan and the rift with the rest of the family has been really stressful for the girls," a source told People in 2023, referring to both Princess Eugenie and her sister, Princess Beatrice. They added that the princesses are torn because they understand where both sides are coming from, adding that they "understand and live the royal machine." Another source told People that "Eugenie was under pressure to distance herself from Meghan and Harry to prove her loyalty to the crown." While she may have been on the fence about mending the relationship last year, sources now say that the 34-year-old has been "strongly advised" to not support the Sussexes.

As it turns out, Princess Eugenie does have a valid reason to resent the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Therefore, her vacillation between the two sides of the royal family — that is, Prince William versus Prince Harry — is not altogether unexpected. For instance, no one can forget the drama that ensued during Princess Eugenie's wedding back in 2018 when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they were expecting their first child on the same day of the ceremony, essentially stealing Eugenie's thunder in the process. Sharing ill-timed news is a faux pas in any culture, so aggravating Eugenie on her wedding day was a major blow to an already tenuous relationship.

"[The princesses] haven't communicated with the Sussexes for quite a while now. They are nowhere near as close as they once were," a source told Express. "Eugenie and Jack are very careful about what they say to friends because they don't want to be seen as bad-mouthing Harry or Meghan," they explained, adding that while there's no ill will between them, they're nowhere near as close as they used to be during their younger years. 

Ultimately, the events of 2018 may well be water under the bridge, but Princess Eugenie still has the opinion of the other royal family members to contend with. Prince Harry may be ready to mend faces, but unless the two brothers come to truce, the potential drop in Eugenie's reputation will continue to dictate her public support (or lack thereof) of the Sussexes.