Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly making plans to mend their relationship with the British royal family through a secret effort nicknamed “Project Thaw.”
According to Daily Mail editor Richard Eden, the Duchess of Sussex has started her attempt to “warm up” relations with her estranged in-laws — and the British public — by appearing at Paris Fashion Week last weekend.
“Meghan’s French sojourn was part of the ‘Establishment plot,’” Eden wrote, suggesting her glamorous public appearance was part of a larger charm strategy. “What could be better than pictures of her being greeted with kisses by the European fashion pack as well as Vogue supremo Dame Anna Wintour?”
Eden claimed that “Project Thaw” aims to melt the hostility between the couple and the royal family, following what was seen as a positive step when Prince Harry visited King Charles for tea during his UK trip last month — their first meeting in 19 months.
During that trip, Harry, 41, also carried out charity engagements and later traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he was reportedly on the same train as UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who is said to admire him and hopes he will “play a bigger part in public life.”
While abroad, Harry told The Guardian that he hoped to bring Meghan, 44, and their two children — Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 — back to Britain someday, even after their official security privileges were withdrawn earlier this year.
“This week has definitely brought that closer,” he said at the time.
Eden added that the next step of the couple’s reconciliation plan involves a joint visit to the UK. An insider told the publication that Meghan is expected to return to Britain before the end of the year — humorously noting she would be “bearing humble pie.”
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not yet commented on the reports.
Harry and Meghan have been estranged from the royal family since 2020, when they stepped down from their royal duties and relocated to California. Their relationship with the monarchy worsened after their explosive 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey and Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare, which contained strong criticisms of his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William.
Earlier this year, Harry expressed his wish to rebuild family ties but acknowledged that “some members” may “never forgive” him.
The couple’s relationship with the palace grew more strained in May when they lost access to police protection during visits to the UK. At the time, Harry told BBC News that he missed home but could not “see a world” in which he would bring Meghan and their children back without proper security measures.
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