Meghan Markle has ‘shut down mechanism’ to detox people from life just like she’s done to the royals, former pal reveals
LESS than two years into their life as a royal couple, Markle and Prince Harry shocked the world when they announced that they were stepping down from their "senior" roles in the Royal Family last night.
The couple - who were only given their titles by The Queen on their wedding day in May 2018 - wrote in a bombshell statement that they will forge a more "progressive" role in the institution by splitting their time between the UK and North America.
Naturally, The Queen is said to be "deeply upset" by the news while Prince Charles and Prince William are "incandescent with rage".
But while their shock exit from the Royal Family has left fans heartbroken, it appears as though Meghan Markle has a history of cutting people out of her life.
Jewellery designer Ninaki Priddy was close friends with the Duchess for 30 years and even acted as her maid-of-honour at her first wedding - but was cast aside when Meghan's marriage to Trevor Engelson ended.
Describing Meghan as "very calculated", Ninaki told the : "She is very strategic in the way she cultivates circles of friends.
"Once she's decided you're not part of her life, she can be very cold. It's this shutdown mechanism she has.
"There's nothing to negotiate, she's made her decision and that's it..."
Now the couple are moving on from The Royal Family, Fabulous Digital takes a look back at all the people the Duchess has cut out of her life.
Thomas Markle
Thomas Markle has spoken openly about how he's been cut off from his daughter since she married into the Royal Family.
The father - who has never met baby Archie -first ran into trouble with the couple when he posed for staged paparazzi photos of him searching for images of the couple online and getting a suit made for their wedding.
After Thomas pulled out of the wedding last minute due to poor health, he claims he has tried to contact his daughter several times - but had been "locked out" by the Palace.
The former cameraman also gave several television and newspapers interviews begging his daughter to speak to him - which she eventually did.
In February 2019, a letter Meghan had written to her father telling him he had had broken her heart into a "million pieces" was leaked to the press.
Six months after his grandson was born, Thomas Markle opened up about his grief over not yet meeting baby Archie Harrison and claims he didn't hear from his daughter after a heart attack left him unable to attend her wedding.
Earlier today, the Duchess' estranged father spoke of his devastation over his daughter's exit from the Royal Family - and said he was "disappointed" by the news.
Piers Morgan
When she was still relatively unknown in the UK, the then Suits star befriended Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan.
Now a notorious critic of the Duchess, Piers revealed last year that Meghan had "ghosted" him after meeting Prince Harry.
Writing for the , Piers claimed he struck up a friendship with the former Suits actress in 2015 after she followed him back on Twitter and claimed to be a "big fan".
But after messaging for months on social media and getting a drink in a London pub in June 2016, Piers claims he never head from the Duchess of Sussex after she went on a date with Prince Harry the following night
Describing her of "poor social climbing", the host also The Mirror: "There seems to be a pattern of her doing that to people, it’s a bit worrying.
"The moment she met Harry she cut everybody off who she thought might be no longer desirable in her friend and family circle. It is extraordinary behaviour, we will see how it all plays out."
Shortly after their decision to step down as "senior" royals was announced, Piers tweeted: "People say I'm too critical of Meghan Markle.
"But she ditched her family, ditched her dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William & has now split him from the Royal Family. I rest my case."
Millie Mackintosh
Before she shacked up with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle befriended former Made in Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh.
The unlikely friends met a year before Meghan started dating Harry and were later seen relaxing together at the luxury getaway, Soho Farmhouse.
Although Millie has never confirmed how she met Meghan, the Quality Street heiress - who is expecting her first child with husband Hugo Taylor - is firm friends with Spencer Matthew who is now Pippa Middleton's brother-in-law.
Her husband Hugo Taylor also reportedly dated Princess Eugenie before she met Jack Brooksbank - so this celebrity couple are no strangers to royalty.
In a chat with the , Millie described Meghan has a "really love, fun and nice girl" who has great style and is loved by everyone.
However, Prince Harry is said to have "put his food down" and stopped Meghan Markle inviting "blabbermouth" Millie Mackintosh to their wedding and the pair have never been pictured together since.
Prince Harry's childhood pal Tom Inskip
Prince Harry's close childhood friend Tom "Skippy" Inskip was allegedly banished from the couple's tight-knit social circle after he was said to have advised the royal against marrying the actress.
Lizzie Cundy, who struck up a friendship with 37-year-old Meghan after they met at an awards dinner in 2013 - almost setting her up with former Chelsea player Ashley Cole - claimed the new mum has forced Harry to drop some "solid" friends.
"One thing I have heard is, because I’m friends with a lot of Harry’s friends – one is a very close friend – is that she has pushed them all out," the 49-year-old told .
"She’s ruling the roost. This friend, I won’t name him, he had Harry on his shoulders in Las Vegas when he got into that trouble.
"He was a really good, solid friend – covered for him, everything – he has been elbowed right out."
In 2019, reported that one of Harry's best friends - Tom "Skippy" Inskip - had been banished from the royal's tight-knit circle of pals after he reportedly advised Harry against marrying Meghan.
The article read: “Hang out with the Clooney/Beckham/Soho House set and be assailed for being too Hollywood, for forcing your hen-pecked husband to abandon his old, country-set muckers – including Tom "Skippy" Inskip, the ultra-loyal, tight-lipped Harry pal, who, it’s said, advised Harry not to marry Meghan and has paid the price: banishment.”
The banker has been a close friend of Prince Harry after they met at Eton, and they had been inseparable.
In July last year, Prince Harry reconciled with his former best friend after his mother died suddenly after a mental health battle.
To commemorate her mum, Lara raised money for Heads Together – a charity partner of Prince Harry – and he idonated a significant sum, pals said.
A source told The Sun: “Skippy and Harry are back as tight friends. When Harry heard about Lara’s mother’s horrible passing, it really hit a nerve.
“Lara has raised money to support research into mental health and Harry decided to let bygones be bygones.”
Samantha Markle
Half sister Samantha Markle is another member of her family who has been "shut out" by the Duchess.
The Duchess' sister has been openly critical of her in the media - and even written a tell-all book called Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister.
After she wasn't invited to the Royal Wedding, Samantha labelled her sister a "shallow social climber" with a "soft spot for gingers".
But ultimately, Samantha has always urged her Meghan to put an end to the rift with her family - and fears she will never get to meet baby Archie because of their "unique situation".
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