Meghan Markle’s Relationship With the Royal Family Takes Dramatic Fall

Meghan Markle’s relationship with the Royal Family has reportedly taken a dramatic fall. Speaking to PEOPLE, author Omid Scobie — whose new book Endgame, which “chronicles both the breakdown of the royal family and the weakening of the modern monarchy,” is out Nov. 28 — says that the 42-year-old Duchess of Sussex has “moved on” from the royals. Her husband Harry, however, “still has unfinished business” with his family.

“Quite early on in the [book-writing] process, some of those Meghan sources that I really leant on in the earlier years this time were like, ‘You know what? She doesn’t want anything to do with it,’” said Scobie, who has covered the British royal family for over 10 years. “For Harry it’s different. He still has unfinished business when it comes to his battles with the press. His challenge will be to find something that balances that out so we can see him working in a space that isn’t connected to the ties that bind from the past.”

While the couple have put their royal lives behind them, they have remained in communication with Harry’s father and sent him well wishes. “With Harry, there’s a reluctant acceptance that this is just who his father is. He would rather have that in his life than to cut it off completely. Hence, when they talk it is often [Harry] reaching out,” said Scobie. “And I was surprised to learn that even Meghan has some sort of correspondence with Charles, sending over photos of the children, although they’re not directly to him. So there is a willingness there.”

Harry and Markle have had a strained relationship with his family ever since the couple resigned from their Royal duties and did an interview with Oprah that revealed some shocking claims. During a post-interview appearance on CBS Mornings, the iconic TV host shared some new footage of her conversation with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, including a portion where Harry discusses the monarchy being a “toxic” environment. He goes on to say that while he has had to learn to separate himself from it, his father, King Charles, has made “peace” with the toxicity.

In the interview, Harry specifically referred to the unspoken relationship that he says the Royals have with U.K. tabloids. He spoke of this during the main interview, but in the new footage, he addresses the tabloids having the Royal family members under “control” through “fear.” This, he says, is the “toxic environment” he had to escape. Oprah then asked if Harry and Markle’s perception of the situation is shared by the rest of his family, specifically, his father. “I think he’s had to make peace with it,” Harry replied.