A royal expert has dropped a bombshell claim that Meghan Markle could have carved out a powerful legacy within the Royal Family—if only she had stayed.
According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the Duchess of Sussex had all the tools needed to become a major force in a critically important cause: women’s rights and combating sexual violence. And ironically, her potential partner in this noble mission wasn’t Prince Harry—it was Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
This week, Sophie Wessex once again demonstrated her influence and commitment during an event at the Imperial War Museum, where she addressed the horrifying reality of sexual violence in conflict zones. In her moving remarks, she focused on the long-lasting stigma survivors face, especially mothers who are often ostracized from their own homes.
“The stigma that is sadly placed on the women—it’s about the mothers. In so many countries, they can’t even go back into the home place,” Sophie said.
It’s exactly the type of humanitarian issue Meghan Markle has shown interest in for years. As an outspoken advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment, Meghan had the potential to collaborate with Sophie and amplify the monarchy’s impact in this area.
Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail, “Meghan is struggling to be an influencer. Sophie has influence in ways that really matter, which Meghan could have been.”
He went on to explain that if Meghan had stayed and aligned her efforts with Sophie’s powerful work, she could have truly flourished. Instead, he suggests, Meghan is now trapped in a cycle of celebrity branding and media soundbites, far removed from the kind of on-the-ground advocacy that earns genuine respect and brings lasting change.
The Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back from royal duties in 2020 was framed as a desire for more freedom and protection from a toxic press environment. But four years later, critics argue she has sacrificed substance for image. While Meghan has launched several media ventures and rebranded herself as “Meghan Sussex,” her presence on the world stage has become increasingly polarizing.
Read More: Kate Middleton Breaks Silence with Royal Comeback But Fans Spot What’s Missing
Meanwhile, Sophie—once called “the Royal Family’s secret weapon”—has quietly built a global reputation for advocacy without fanfare. She’s traveled to war-torn nations, worked directly with survivors, and continues to represent the Crown in deeply meaningful ways.
Had Meghan remained within the royal system, she could have inherited some of this legacy and expanded it to a new generation, fusing her celebrity influence with royal gravitas.
Instead, Fitzwilliams suggests Meghan now finds herself in a media-centric existence, chasing relevance through podcast appearances, celebrity interviews, and social media buzz—while Sophie garners genuine respect from world leaders and NGOs for her long-term commitment to women in crisis.
What makes this all the more tragic, according to insiders, is that Meghan and Sophie actually shared a common purpose. A partnership between the two could have marked a new era for the monarchy—young, modern, feminist, and globally focused.
Now, that bridge appears not just burned, but bulldozed. Supporters of Meghan will argue that she was never fully accepted, that she faced barriers within the institution that made her work unsustainable. And there’s truth in that. The Royal Family has long been criticized for its failure to modernize and support new voices.
Still, the question lingers: Did Meghan walk away from the very kind of impact she once claimed to seek?
In the battle between visibility and influence, Sophie has quietly emerged as a leading royal powerhouse. And Meghan, it seems, is still searching for her place—outside the palace gates.
