Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'Suffering' From 'PTSD' After King Charles' 'Triggering' U.S. Visit: Source

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be struggling emotionally in the aftermath of King Charles' hit high-profile U.S. visit, with sources telling OK! the trip has proved "deeply triggering" for the couple as tensions with the royal family continue to simmer.

The 41-year-old Duke of Sussex and his 44-year-old wife, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and now live in California, have found themselves at the center of renewed scrutiny following Charles' four-day state visit to the United States with Queen Camilla, 78.

The 77-year-old monarch was welcomed with full ceremonial honors, including a White House reception hosted by , where images of Charles laughing and appearing at ease alongside Trump and Melania Trump were beamed around the world.

The visit – Charles' first to the U.S. in nearly a decade – has been framed as a key moment in maintaining diplomatic ties, yet it has also reignited personal tensions given Donald's past criticism of the Sussexes.

According to one insider, the optics of the visit have been particularly difficult for Harry and Markle to process.

They told us: "There's a growing feeling that this situation has affected both Harry and Meghan far more deeply than they initially anticipated. Watching Charles appear so relaxed and publicly aligned with Trump, who has openly ridiculed their marriage has struck a nerve, has brought up a lot of difficult emotions and feels, to them, like a very personal affront. It's been, as they would say, 'very triggering' for them."

The source added: "Harry can intellectually accept that his father's role requires him to engage with whoever is in power, regardless of past comments or personal tensions. But emotionally, that understanding doesn't soften the impact. From his and Meghan's perspective, the absence of any pushback or acknowledgment of the criticism directed at them only reinforces a narrative they feel is unfair, and that's been particularly hard for both of them to process."

Another source suggested the couple are grappling with conflicting emotions as they attempt to balance personal hurt with long-term goals.

They said: "Harry is making a conscious effort to stay level-headed about it all and keeps reminding himself that, as monarch, his father has a duty to work with global leaders regardless of any personal history or tension. But behind closed doors, it's clearly taking a toll – the situation has resurfaced old wounds and left both him and Meghan feeling vulnerable and under scrutiny again. For Meghan especially, there's a real sense of frustration that the negative commentary about them from Trump has been allowed to stand without any form of response or defense. That silence, from her perspective, only deepens the discomfort and reinforces the feeling that they are being left exposed to ongoing criticism. She and Harry are essentially suffering a form of PTSD over Charles' U.S. visit."

The visit itself was marked by a packed schedule and moments of warmth between Charles and his hosts.

During their time in Washington, the king delivered a landmark address to Congress and attended a formal state dinner, while Camilla carried out a series of engagements focused on literacy.

He and Camilla also traveled to New York City, where Charles paid tribute at the 9/11 memorial and later met with community leaders in Harlem, highlighting initiatives around urban farming and youth development.

Despite the diplomatic success of the trip, attention has repeatedly returned to Harry's absence and his strained relationship with his father.

The last meeting between the two took place in September, when they shared a brief afternoon tea at Clarence House – their first encounter in 19 months.

Since then, sources say Harry's efforts to rebuild ties have been slow and uncertain, with divisions within the royal household complicating any potential reconciliation.

The situation has been further heightened by ongoing commentary from Donald, who has previously criticized the Sussexes in public remarks.

Following Harry's recent visit to Ukraine, where he called for stronger international leadership, Donald dismissed his comments and reiterated his own views on the duke, while also describing Charles as "a friend of mine" ahead of the state visit.

Another source said: "For Harry, it's incredibly hard to witness his father appearing so publicly at ease and aligned with someone who has made a point of belittling both him and Meghan. That visible warmth only seems to underline how distant things have become between them, and it reinforces the feeling that their relationship is more strained than ever. At the same time, Harry is very aware that speaking out or reacting in the moment would likely escalate matters and create further fallout. So he's made the decision to stay quiet and keep things contained, even though it's clearly weighing heavily on him and Meghan behind the scenes."