Duchess of Sussex’s appearance at the Fortune Summit brings back tensions in the royal family
After speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Meghan Markle is once again at the center of royal controversy. Her comments about “nesting and healing” after leaving the British royal family have been seen as hidden attacks on the monarchy.
Experts criticize the remarks made at the summit
On October 14, 2025, at the Salamander Hotel, the Duchess of Sussex talked about how she and Prince Harry left royal duties in 2020. She said there was “no plan” beyond focusing on their young family. Markle said that since Prince Archie was so young and she was pregnant with Princess Lilibet, the couple’s main goal was to get through the transition period.
Hilary Fordwich, an expert on the British royal family, told Fox News Digital that these comments were “less than subtle jabs again at the monarchy’s supposed interpersonal shortcomings.” Fordwich said that Markle seems to be “doing her best to change her story.” She made comments that seem to “rebuke royal norms.”
Different Experts Have Different Ideas
Helena Chard, a British photographer and broadcaster, agreed that Markle’s comments were a dig at the royal family. She said that the Duchess is in the middle of a “PR blitz promoting her brand.” Also, she doesn’t owe anything to the British Royal Family. Chard said that Markle gives herself “the excuse to offend and do as she pleases.” She does this by bringing up her bad experiences with the royals.
But not all experts took the comments in a bad way. Amanda Matta, a royal commentator, said that the comments were “an honest reflection on how hard it would be to reinvent yourself.” This comes after leaving an institution that controlled every detail of your life. Ian Pelham Turner, a former royal photographer, also defended Markle. He said that she is just trying to “come to terms with moving her life and her family forward.” This is despite all the criticism.
The Sussex-Royal Family Split That Keeps Going
Richard Fitzwilliams, another expert on the royal family, said that Markle’s comments about “healing” conveniently left out the fact that she “began destructive family rifts” while she was a working royal. Since the Sussexes moved to Montecito, California in 2020, there has been a lot of talk about the problems between them and the royal family.
People still say that Prince Harry and Prince William can’t get back together because they don’t trust Meghan Markle. Several royal experts have said that senior royals are still hesitant to get involved. They fear that private family talks could become public or be used for business.
Building a Brand and a Netflix Series
Markle’s appearance at the summit comes at a time when she is still working on building her business empire. This includes her Netflix lifestyle show “With Love, Meghan.” Markle knows how important her royal connection is to her brand. She makes sure she stays connected to this “valuable asset” even though she is pulling away from the institution.
Some people think that the couple’s business deals with Spotify, Penguin Random House, and Netflix are just a way to make things more stable. They believe it is not part of a bigger plan. Matta said that having a clearer vision might have led to “more thoughtful, specific partnerships.” This would be instead of broad, sweeping, multi-year deals.
Problems with how the public sees things
Several royal experts say that the Duchess of Sussex has a lot of problems with how the public sees her. They also say that many people in the U.K. don’t like her. This feeling still affects Prince William’s opinion on whether or not the brothers should try to make up.
The gap between the Sussexes and the royal family doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller. This is happening as Markle continues to make public appearances and work on her brand. Royal watchers and experts still can’t agree on whether her comments were meant to be critical or were just honest thoughts.
