Meghan Markle's 'happy' act exposed as her and Harry's popularity plummets

Meghan Markle claims she’s “happier than ever,” but could it all just be a ruse?

Amid a string of controversies, including Prince Harry’s recent comments about King Charles and the rest of his estranged family in a bombshell BBC interview, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have put up a united front.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Edward Coram-James notes that despite Meghan’s confident front, the numbers tell another story.

According to YouGov polling in March, Harry holds a net favourability rating of -31, while Meghan ranks second-to-last among royals with a -47 rating.

“There’s no way Meghan is thrilled by these results,” noted James as he reflected on Meghan’s recent comments on The Jamie Kern Lima Show that she’s “happier than ever” living in Los Angeles with Harry and their two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet — far away from royal life.

“From her perspective,” noted James, “it’s a clever way to take control of her narrative… to shine a light on a confident image when they’re being watched.”

The PR expert warns that the couple are running out of time to fix their public image, especially back in the UK.

“They’re not past the point of no return yet,” he added, “but that door is closing fast as long as they remain embedded in the American celebrity bubble.”

Harry, meanwhile, revealed to BBC News that he still hopes to reconcile with his father, despite being estranged. “Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has… It would be nice to reconcile.”

The Duke’s comments came hours after he lost his appeal for increased police protection in the UK. That same day, Meghan posted a black-and-white photo of Harry with Archie and Lilibet, once again drawing attention to their tranquil family life.