Backgrid
Meghan Markle’s Hollywood dream may be on hold, but insiders say the mum-of-two is “struggling” with the big UK move – and has already hatched an escape plan.
The Sussex relocation has been fraught with drama, from last-minute school swaps to her phone number leaking from a WhatsApp mums’ chat. Worst of all, the family has faced “a spike in security alerts” that has only intensified since Charles Spencer’s bombshell book came out, according to royal sources.
“Meghan’s not happy,” a pal tells New Idea. “She’s worried for their safety. They’ve gone to so much trouble to keep their details private, so having her number cast all over the county was distressing. She’s convinced it’s only a matter of time before their address gets out too.”
In a move that’s been described as “overkill”, Meghan has also apparently sent a warning letter to parents at Archie and Lilibet’s new school, as well as neighbouring schools, to only photograph their own children.
“She’s on high alert and it wouldn’t be a surprise if she’s got ‘grab-and go’ bags packed already,” the source adds.
Friends confirm the “rattled” duchess, 45, is even looking for a “secure and discreet” hotel that she and the kids can go to in case of emergency – and who better to ask than her old friends Ellen DeGeneres, 68, and her wife Portia De Rossi, 52.
The couple, who battled floods when they moved to the UK in 2024, caught up with Meghan at her old haunt, the Three Horseshoes, a luxury hunting hotel in Burford.
“Ellen knows all the A-list boltholes in the area,” adds the pal. “Meghan trusts Ellen and Portia – she and Harry went to their wedding vow renewal – and they understand the pressure she’s under.
“Meghan does not want to sit still and wait for the Sussex postcode to leak. Until this dies down, she wants to find a safer place to stay – and a trusted hotel comes with an extra security layer at the front desk.”
However, friends expect fireworks back home with husband Prince Harry should Meghan decide to relocate to a hotel with the kids.
“He thinks it exposes them even more,” says an insider. “Even though it’s been a rough start to their return, he’s back out working on the causes that he loves and he hasn’t looked this happy in years. No one’s seen him smile and engage with people like he’s doing now. He’s on more familiar territory and his confidence is booming.
“Meghan wanting to hide out in a hotel is something he can’t understand right now.”
Share this post