In a revelation that adds yet another layer to the ongoing royal saga, a royal expert has claimed that Prince Harry hoped his late mother Princess Diana’s sisters would recognize similarities between Meghan Markle and Diana — but was met with disappointment when they failed to see a resemblance and questioned Meghan’s fit within the royal family.

Harry’s Emotional Hope

According to royal biographer and commentator Tom Quinn, Prince Harry had a deep desire for his aunts — Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes — to embrace Meghan Markle as a kindred spirit to Diana. Speaking to a UK media outlet, Quinn revealed that Harry believed Meghan shared his mother’s compassion, strength, and resilience in the face of the royal institution.

“Harry was desperate for some form of validation,” Quinn said. “He truly believed that his mother’s sisters — who were like second mothers to him after Diana’s death — would see in Meghan the same fire and passion that made Diana so beloved.”

However, according to Quinn and other insiders, that validation never came.

A Disconnection with Diana’s Family

Lady Sarah and Lady Jane, both known for their deep sense of tradition and their long-standing loyalty to the crown, were said to be “polite but reserved” when it came to Meghan. Though respectful of Harry’s choice, they reportedly felt that Meghan’s approach to royal life clashed with the values and expectations of the family Diana left behind.

“They didn’t dislike Meghan,” Quinn clarified, “but they certainly didn’t see her as a Diana 2.0, as Harry hoped.”

Reports indicate that while the sisters initially extended a warm welcome, they became increasingly concerned about the direction Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royal family was taking — especially after the couple’s bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey and their decision to step down as senior royals.

Meghan’s Independent Path

Much like Diana, Meghan has often been portrayed as a figure unwilling to conform to royal expectations. Supporters admire her courage in speaking out about mental health, race, and media harassment — issues Diana herself struggled with. Yet others, particularly within royal circles, see Meghan as too combative and unwilling to adapt to the institution she married into.

Tom Quinn suggests this was the dividing line between Meghan and Diana’s sisters.

“Diana had her battles with the royal establishment, yes — but she fought those battles from within,” he explained. “Meghan, on the other hand, chose to leave, and take Harry with her. That decision, while understandable to many, was viewed by Diana’s family as a kind of abandonment.”

Emotional Fallout for Harry

Sources close to Prince Harry suggest that the lack of support from his mother’s sisters hit him hard. Having always looked to them as part of his emotional connection to Diana, Harry was reportedly “heartbroken” when they failed to fully embrace Meghan or her vision for a more progressive monarchy.

In his 2023 memoir Spare, Harry touched briefly on his relationships with extended family members, though he stopped short of discussing Lady Sarah or Lady Jane in detail. Still, royal insiders believe the disapproval from Diana’s side of the family deepened Harry’s sense of isolation from the monarchy.

“Harry wanted a bridge between his old world and the new one he was building with Meghan,” one anonymous source said. “When Diana’s sisters didn’t cross that bridge, it felt like another door had closed.”

A Family Still Divided

While Harry and Meghan continue to forge their own path in the United States — now as media producers and public figures — the rift between them and much of the royal family remains unresolved. Occasional family reunions, such as those around King Charles’s coronation or Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, have done little to repair the damage.

According to Quinn and other experts, the disapproval from Diana’s sisters was another quiet but powerful fracture point in Harry’s departure from royal life.

“For Harry, everything has always been about his mother,” Quinn concluded. “He sees her in Meghan. But not everyone else does — and that, sadly, has left him more alone than ever.”

Final Thoughts

The revelation underscores the complex emotions, loyalties, and expectations that continue to define Prince Harry’s post-royal journey. While he may see Meghan as a modern echo of Princess Diana, the people who knew his mother best seem to disagree — raising the question: can the legacy of Diana ever truly be shared, or is it destined to divide?