Princess Eugenie's Relationship With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Has 'Cooled Dramatically' Amid Royal Rifts, Source Says

Princess Eugenie is distancing herself from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as tensions within the royal family deepen, sources tell OK! – leaving the Sussexes increasingly isolated following their return to Britain.

Eugenie, 36, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, 40, have long enjoyed a close friendship with Harry, 42, and Meghan, 45.

But palace insiders tell us the relationship has "cooled dramatically" amid renewed scrutiny of Eugenie's parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, and Sarah Ferguson, 66, and their past associations with serial predator Jeffrey Epstein.

An insider said: "The Sussexes had expected their friendship with Eugenie and Jack to flourish after they relocated back to Britain. Meghan had hoped the couples could arrange regular meetings and spend time together in Portugal, where both families have maintained property interests. Instead, the Sussexes have encountered unexpectedly little enthusiasm from Eugenie to link up, and she has essentially ghosted them since their return to the U.K."

The rumored change in heart from Eugenie represents a "significant disappointment" for Harry, sources tell us, as he has enjoyed a particularly warm relationship with his younger cousin.

Eugenie was among the relatives who maintained contact with Harry and Meghan after they stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California.

But Eugenie's circumstances have become increasingly complicated amid the Epstein-linked controversies involving her parents' links to Epstein.

Eugenie and her sister, Princess Beatrice, 38, have faced scrutiny despite neither being accused of participating in Epstein's crimes.

And insiders say Eugenie is increasingly concerned about preserving her relationship with King Charles, 77, and Prince William, 44, amid the storm.

One source said: "For Eugenie, maintaining a publicly close association with the Sussexes could be interpreted within royal circles as taking sides in the continuing family dispute. She would much rather stay on King Charles' good side and secure her place in the monarchy, rather than risk that for a friendship with Harry and Meghan. And the same goes for her sister."

Harry's relationship with William remains strained following revelations in his memoir, Spare, and his and Meghan's previous public criticism of the monarchy.

The Sussexes have established a new home in the Cotswolds with their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5.

Their return has coincided with renewed debate about their status after Palace guidance reaffirmed they remain outside the working royal family.

A royal insider said: "Harry and Meghan are genuinely taken aback by how distant Eugenie has become. They always regarded her and Jack as two of the few people within the wider royal family they could depend on, regardless of what was happening behind Palace walls. Meghan had imagined that moving back to Britain would make their friendship much easier to maintain. There was talk of spending time together in the Cotswolds, arranging weekends in Portugal and giving the children more opportunities to see each other."

"But instead of the enthusiastic welcome they anticipated, they've been met with what feels like a wall of silence. Eugenie hasn't been making the effort they expected, and attempts to arrange time together haven't developed into anything substantial. That's been particularly difficult for Harry because he and Eugenie have known each other all their lives. Their friendship survived his departure from the monarchy, the fallout from his memoir and years of tension with other relatives. Harry never imagined that Eugenie would become another family member he struggled to maintain contact with. He feels bewildered that someone who once seemed firmly in his corner now appears reluctant to spend time with him. Meghan is equally disappointed because she thought Eugenie understood the pressures they had experienced and wouldn't allow the wider royal dispute to interfere with their personal relationship," the insider added.