Meghan Markle’s Wedding Claims Under Fire: Royal Sources Push Back

In a recent episode of the Netflix docuseries “Harry and Meghan,” Meghan Markle made some bold claims about her family dynamics, particularly regarding her niece Ashley Hale and her estranged half-sister Samantha Markle.

The Duchess of Sussex suggested that she was not allowed to invite Ashley to her wedding in May 2018 due to palace advice.

However, a royal source has called this assertion into question, labeling it a complete fabrication.

During the episode, Meghan discussed her fraught relationship with Samantha, who has been openly critical of her since she began dating Prince Harry in 2016.

Samantha has even published a book where she refers to Meghan as “Princess Pushy.”

Meghan expressed her frustration, stating, “Suddenly, it felt like she was everywhere.

I don't know your middle name.

I don't know your birthday.

You're telling these people that you raised me and you've coined me Princess Pushy.”

Despite the tension with her half-sister, Meghan shared that she felt a close bond with Ashley, Samantha's daughter.

Recalling a moment from 2007, Meghan described how she learned about Ashley's existence from her father.

“Samantha found a daughter and I was like, oh.

If you have her email address, I want to email her,” Meghan reminisced.

Their relationship blossomed, leading to vacations together and a deep connection.

Ashley also spoke about their relationship in the documentary, describing Meghan as a sisterly figure.

She explained, “I think she takes on a lot of roles for me.

There's a sister element; she's maternal, she's a best friend.” However, Ashley eventually distanced herself from Samantha, citing her mother's resentful comments about Meghan as the catalyst for this decision.

In the series, Meghan recounted the painful experience of wanting to invite Ashley to her wedding but being advised against it by the palace's press team.

“I was in the car with H and I called her and had her on speakerphone,” Meghan shared.

“We talked her through the guidance we were given and why this assessment was made, and that's painful.”

Ashley expressed her hurt over the situation, acknowledging that the palace's decision stemmed from her complicated relationship with her mother.

“To know that it was because of my biological mother that this relationship that's so important to me was impacted in that way… was hard,” she said.

However, a royal insider has disputed Meghan's narrative, claiming that the press team was eager for her to include more family and friends at the wedding.

The source, speaking to The Sun, dismissed Meghan's claims as a “complete lie,” asserting that the palace wanted to avoid media scrutiny surrounding Samantha.

The insider further highlighted that Meghan's portrayal of herself as isolated from her family is misleading.

They pointed out that the palace was keen for Meghan to have a robust support system at the wedding, contrary to her assertions.

This revelation raises questions about Meghan's perspective on her family ties.

Moreover, the discussion around Meghan's allies versus Harry's friends adds another layer to this narrative.

In the documentary, Meghan presented a stark contrast, showing that she had many allies, including her mother Doria and Ashley, while Harry had only two close friends.

This disparity has fueled speculation about the influence she wields over Harry.

Royal commentators have noted that Meghan's extensive circle of Hollywood friends could be perceived as evidence of her manipulation of Harry.

With names like Abigail Spencer and Daniel Martin in her corner, the optics suggest a significant imbalance in their social networks.

Interestingly, the scrutiny surrounding family attendance at royal weddings is not new.

Catherine Middleton's uncle attended her wedding to Prince William despite having a controversial past, which raises questions about the palace's concerns regarding Ashley's presence.

After all, Harry was sixth in line to the throne at the time of his wedding, a position that arguably carried less weight than that of William.

As this saga unfolds, it appears that the complexities of royal family dynamics continue to captivate public interest.