Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are a 'ticking time bomb' says royal expert Tom Bower

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could cause a 'crisis' for the Royal Family, according to royal expert Tom Bower – with the Duke of Sussex due to arrive in the UK very soon

Just days before Prince Harry is due to touch down on UK soil for a charity event - without Meghan Markle - a royal expert has warned of another potential crisis brewing for the Royal Family. Amidst rampant speculation about Harry's role within the monarchy, royal biographer Tom Bower told OK! that he believes the Sussexes could still stir up more trouble for the family.

"I think there is a crisis on the way," he declared. "They will know they're not desperately in need of money at this very moment but they constantly have to think about how they're going to plan for the future. I think Harry has got another book, the ghost writer said there was enough material for another book. And of course Meghan has got a book, which would be infinitely more damaging than anything they've written so far. The problem is how desperate will the Sussexes become? There is always this ticking time bomb because they have much more they could say, especially Meghan about her time in London. Her own words would be hugely profitable for her and likely very damaging [to the royal family] because she's only got bad things to say."

All eyes were on the younger royal sibling as he marked his 40th birthday on September 15, particularly when it came to the public 'Happy Birthday' messages from his family. Just days before his milestone birthday, Prince Harry shared a heartfelt statement expressing his dedication to "to continue showing up and doing good in the world."

He also spoke lovingly of his children, Prince Archie, five, and two year old Princess Lilibet, saying: "Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work. Being a dad is one of life's greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place."

While no one can doubt the sincerity of his words, there was a notable absence in his message - Meghan. Unlike his brother Prince William and Kate Middleton, she did not publicly acknowledge his birthday.

Following King Charles and Queen Camilla's lead, they posted on their official Twitter account, "Wishing a happy 40th birthday to the Duke of Sussex!".

However, royal commentator Tom suggests we shouldn't overanalyse these social media gestures or the silence from Harry's wife, as he is confident that separation is highly unlikely for the couple despite rampant speculation. Tom explained the significance of William and Kate's birthday message to Harry, stating: "For William and Kate to wish him Happy Birthday, it cost them nothing and if they didn't do it, it would look churlish, as if they were holding a nasty grudge," he said. "So it was so much better to wish him happy birthday and ignore him. That's what they've really done. It was a perfunctory administrative act which served the purpose of them not looking bad, but it didn't mean a thing.

"With Meghan, I don't think one should read much into whether she wished him public happy birthday. I don't believe they're about to separate. I think Meghan needs him because without him she hasn't got status, and he needs her because he's a needy person. He's nothing in California without her.

"She's terribly happy in California, she's a Californian girl and she never wanted to live in London and he was very pleased to be rescued from it. So, it's a mutually beneficial arrangement. She is the person who fixes everything and their friendships are through her and Harry won't leave Meghan because he has nowhere else to go."

Rumours continue to circle that Harry wants to come back to the UK and be a working royal again, four years on from the Sussexes' bombshell move to the US. His frequent trips back to the UK this year - including his visit to see King Charles, 75, when his cancer diagnosis was announced in February, and his appearance at the Invictus Games ceremony shortly after - added fuel to the fire, particularly following his claims that he fears for Meghan's safety in Britain.

Royal watchers think Harry might be missing his old life, but it's thought Meghan is quite happy with her current life as she focuses on her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand.

Tom delved into the complex situation surrounding Prince Harry, observing that while Harry enjoys his life in the US, he's grappling with his future involvement with Britain. "Harry is beginning to realise the problems, which is he hasn't got anything to do and he's frustrated," he explained. "He likes living in California and he doesn't really want to come back to Britain but he wants a role in Britain."

He also noted, "They realise how deeply unpopular they are here and they have a waning interest in America, people are less and less interested. He's coming back more and more because he's testing the water and he wants to look relevant here, and he has nothing to do in America. I think he is increasingly lonely."

Moreover, Tom pointed out the irony in Harrys need for public attention despite his and the couple's well-known resentment of the media, which the Duke once famously labeled as the devil. According to Tom, this attention is crucial if Harry is to remain significant and possibly be reintegrated into Britain.

"The hints that he wants to come back, which he denies, are all testing the waters," he said. "I'm sure he's not coming back. I think that they want exactly what they weren't allowed to do - half in, half out. They're looking for a purpose and they can't find it. Some might see it as being part of the royal family but I don't think William will allow that. You have to remember how rude Harry was about Camilla, and that was critical. Harry seems to think his family should apologise to him, he thinks he's been badly treated by the family. But they don't owe him an apology. Harry's anger with William is petulant and juvenile now."

While Harry has been the one making the headlines over the last few months, Meghan has been noticeably quieter and remained very much under the radar. It's likely given the Royal Family a much-needed break from the slew of revelations from their Oprah Winfrey and Netflix shows, plus Harry's Spare biography, but Tom suspects there's more bombshells to come.

With the couple needing to fund their lifestyle and the demands of having a family, they need to find a source of funds - and with Harry reportedly banking an eye-watering $20million advance for Spare, another book or two could be appealing, Tom says but they would come at a cost.

Meghan Markle's bombshell allegations have caused a royal frenzy, with her explosive claims to Oprah Winfrey in 2021 about alleged concerns within the Royal Family over "how dark [Archie's] skin might be when he's born" and being denied mental health support by Palace aides taking centre stage. The royal saga deepens as Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare' lays bare his fractured ties with Prince William, alongside stunning accusations against Camilla, labelling her "dangerous" and alleging she used him for her "personal PR altar".

The Sussexes' revelations are casting long shadows across the monarchy, especially post-Queen Elizabeth II's era. Royal expert Tom weighed in: "It's not Charles's fault, but he cannot fill the hole left by the Queen. And when you count his illness too, they're thin on the ground. But I don't see Harry in any way taking his place back. He has said such terrible things and written such terrible things about Kate, William and Camilla and his own father."

According to Tom, any return for Harry to the royal fold looks bleak: "Harry would like to have a status here, but he's not going to get it. There is just too much bad blood, he has caused far too much trouble."

Amidst these tumultuous times, however, the personal heartache resonates strongly, particularly the shattered bond between brothers William and Harry a relationship that was once incredibly close. The children of William and Kate - Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, reportedly have little to no relationship with their cousins in California, having only met a few times.

Tom reveals there's a real sense of sorrow on both Harry and Meghan's part due to the almost non-existent bond with their British relatives. "Harry has no family, and Meghan has no family other than her mother really. There's no cousins, uncles, aunts, or grandparents. It's a pretty empty life and Harry, of all people, knows the importance of family".

"In the beginning, with the thrill of being in America, it's easy to forget your family. But now he might sit in his garden thinking, 'Here I am all alone and no one cares about me'. While Harry lost his mother and his father was often absent, he had a brother and there were so many people around to care for him, his family on his mother's side and a huge network of family friends. His school also provided a huge network of mothers and families who had him for weekends, he wasn't without affection or relationships. But his children haven't got that. There's nobody equivalent to the uncles and aunts and grandparents in America for his children."

When Kensington Palace shared Kate's deeply personal cancer update video earlier this month, revealing she'd finished her preventive chemotherapy after "an incredibly tough" nine months, her comments about gaining a "new perspective" sparked rumours that there might be an opening for Harry and Meghan to return to the royal fold.

However, according to Tom, such a reunion seems highly improbable as the heirs apparent have bigger fish to fry than worrying about Harry and Meghan. "I just don't think that he features in how they imagine their life ahead," he commented. "They're preparing to be King and Queen and the strains are enormous, the last thing they care now about is Harry's problems, that's irrelevant."