Things are rarely as they appear. During the Sussexes’ summer trip to Europe — which included a key stop at Highgrove House, King Charles’s private country residence in southwest England, where they reunited with the monarch — Meghan Markle shared a series of seemingly idyllic family moments on social media, aiming to present a united and happy family. A source cited by Closer Online suggested that this was the purpose behind images of outdoor dinners and glasses of wine, deserted summer beaches, and walks through fragrant lavender fields. Even the photograph of Harry and the children visiting Princess Diana’s grave was highly polished. That setting would normally call for privacy and quiet reflection, yet the staged presentation (the children shown in a ‘procession’ with bouquets) matched the rest of the holiday images. A royal observer who spoke to the British magazine dismissed the entire vacation photo gallery as “nonsense.”

But the paper asks: why did Meghan and Harry suddenly feel the need to display their affection and happiness so conspicuously? For months there have been reports that the couple are leading increasingly separate lives. Harry has repeatedly denied and mocked divorce rumours, but observers have pointed to possible sources of tension in their marriage, including the duke’s reported desire to spend more time in the UK and Meghan’s reported reluctance to do the same. Closer reports that King Charles is particularly aware of the Sussexes’ difficulties and has made clear that his younger son can turn to him for advice or simply for support if family matters become hard to manage.

An insider said: “Charles has observed everything from a distance and, while he does not want Harry’s marriage to fail, he is realistic enough to recognize that even strong relationships can come under such pressure that they break. He is not blind to this and cannot help wanting to intervene and try to help. He experienced a very public divorce and understands how different things can be behind closed doors compared with how they appear in public.”