Meghan Markle’s return to the UK described as exploitation

Meghan Markle has yet to respond to rumors about his possible return to the UK, but that hasn’t stopped speculation from running wild!

A British columnist recently delved into the Duchess of Sussex’s alleged interest in making a return to the upcoming Invictus Games, theorizing that the decision stemmed from exploitative reasons.

Meghan Markle became a member of the British royal family when she married Prince Harry in 2018. They stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to Montecito, where they live with their two children.

British columnist Sarah Vine hasn’t been shy about sharing her theories on why Meghan would be interested in returning to the UK after tearing the royal family apart. It’s no secret that she aired her grievances with the royal family after moving to America.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Meghan rebuilt her brand as someone who was poorly treated in royal circles, only to regain her footing as an entrepreneur in the United States. Vine speculated that Meghan had lost the “victim” momentum she used to have, hence her interest in returning to the UK.

“She needs to remind the world who her in-laws are, to stay relevant and, more importantly, to stay commercial,” Vine argued in his article for the Daily Mail, adding:

“Because let’s be clear: without her royal connections and victim/survivor narrative, the Duchess is just another middle-aged minor actress with a lifestyle brand to whip around.”

Vine speculated that Meghan had milked her US connections for all they were worth and would attempt to regain public attention with her return to the UK. The columnist could imagine her performances staged for the paparazzi in order to sell her victim story.

“I can imagine it now, can’t you? The ‘brave’ Duchess comforting grateful veterans. Selflessly putting aside her own trauma to help ease theirs,” Vine wrote, noting that Meghan wouldn’t miss the opportunity to promote her As Ever brand by treating veterans to some of her products.

Vine speculated that Meghan and Harry would put on a show, revisiting their old hangouts to give the media something to talk about or even arranging a meeting with King Charles. The columnist thought the monarch would likely give in to Meghan’s whims for the chance to see her grandchildren.

Vine added that Meghan had to return to the UK to advertise, believing her latest product could be part of her comeback strategy. She released a new leather bookmark from her brand As Ever, which is said to have been handmade “by a small English company”.

PEOPLE shared more about the bookmark, noting that Meghan kicked off 2026 with the limited-edition product, which she designed herself. It featured the words “I fell asleep here” stamped in gold in Meghan’s handwriting.

The bookmark was priced at $18, measuring 2.75 inches by 1.5 inches, and made from sustainably sourced vegetable-tanned leather. The product line appeared to be sold out within 10 minutes of its launch on the As Ever website.

When speculation about Meghan’s possible return to the UK surfaced, The Blast shared that sources claimed the Sussexes were interested in attending the year-long celebrations for the Invictus Games. However, their joint appearance had one condition.

Meghan would only join Harry in the UK if his request to have their full taxpayer-backed security restored was granted. The couple lost the privilege of armed security after giving up their royal duties in 2020.

Royal expert Tom Sykes claimed a source told him Meghan would return to the UK with her children if their security requirements were met. On the other hand, a spokesperson for Harry reportedly claimed that stories about Meghan’s return were “pure speculation.”