Prince Harry and Meghan Markle always seem to be in the news for one reason or another, whether that’s their strained relationship with the Royal Family, their business ventures or the state of their marriage. It’s the last of those things that’s lately been causing rumblings in the press, with some claiming there’s been tension between the couple who has been married since 2018. The Duchess of Sussex possibly added fuel to the fire, when she was seen in public without her engagement ring; however, a source claims that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why she has been sans sparkler.
Celebrities being spotted without their meaningful jewels often equates to trouble for high-profile relationships. Take Britney Spears and Sam Asghari, for example, who were both seen without their wedding bands months before they announced their separation, as well as Ariana Grande, who was pictured at Wimbledon without her ring just days before confirming that she and Dalton Gomez were divorcing. This doesn’t seem to be the case with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, though, as a source for Page Six claims the three-stoned ring is simply “being fixed.”
It’s worth noting that in the photograph Meghan Markle took with friends Kadi Lee and Cleo Wade on a recent lunch date, she is still wearing her gold wedding band, in addition to a second gold ring that may be placeholding for the diamonds. It’s unknown what exactly the fixes to her ring entail, but Markle has made alterations to the band in the past, or it could be that some maintenance was required six years after the prince proposed to the actress.
Rumors of trouble in their marriage have plagued the royal couple since July, when sources alleged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were “taking time apart” following their partnership with Spotify falling through. It was also reported that the Archetypes host was “livid” that the Duke of Sussex had reportedly reached out to Prince William about a possible truce with his family.
However, another insider said split rumors were “literally made up,” and a royal expert also weighed in on the state of their relationship, saying she knew the spark between the couple had always struck her as being “very authentic,” and as they have continued to present a united front, there’s no evidence to suggest that they have separated or are on the verge of doing so.
The couple has, however, been spending time apart due to work obligations, Page Six reports, with Prince Harry speaking at a summit in Japan and playing in a charity polo match in Singapore. He’s also planning to travel to Africa soon for his Heart of Invictus documentary for Netflix, though those plans appear to be on hiatus until the end of the WGA writer’s strike.
The upcoming docuseries about the Invictus Games could be “critical” for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at this point in their separation from the Royal Family. According to a royal expert, this is a chance for the embattled couple to improve their public image by keeping the doc’s focus on the uplifting and positive message of the games.
Rumors surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem inevitable, but even after she was seen without her engagement ring, there still seems to be no evidence to support claims of a separation. You can see more of the Sussexes on Harry & Meghan, as well as Heart of Invictus, which is set to be released August 30 with a Netflix subscription.