Meghan Markle Doesn't Want Prince Harry to Lose His Father: 'It Doesn't Have to Be the Same for Them'

Meghan Markle hopes there's room to repair the relationship between Prince Harry and his father, Prince Charles, after the couple decided to step back from royal life.

In an extensive interview with New York magazine's The Cut, the Duchess of Sussex, 41, discussed the estranged relationship with her father, Thomas Markle.

"Harry said to me, 'I lost my dad in this process,' " she said, referring to her own father.

Of the strained relationship between Prince Harry and his dad, "It doesn't have to be the same for them as it was for me, but that's his decision," she said.

During the couple's March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry said that Prince Charles, 73, "stopped taking my calls" regarding conversations about leaving their roles as working members of the royal family. Harry, 37, also said that the royal family "literally cut me off financially" following their Jan. 2020 announcement of stepping back.

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Campbell Addy for The Cut

However, Prince Charles did see Harry and Meghan — as well as have a reunion with grandson Archie Harrison, 3, and a first meeting with granddaughter Lilibet Diana, 1 — when the family visited the U.K. in June for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebration.

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"It was a fantastic visit. The prince was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time," a royal source said, adding that it was "wonderful" to have Harry and Meghan back in Britain.

RICHARD POHLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Charles

"The Prince and the Duchess [of Cornwall] were absolutely thrilled to see them," the source continued, as Charles had not seen his grandson Archie "for a bit of time."

"It was very special to have some time with him. He hadn't met Lilibet, his granddaughter, and so to meet her for the first time was very emotional — it was a wonderful thing," the source said.

Getty Prince Harry, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Meghan Markle

Speaking about how they run Archewell together from a shared home office, Prince Harry said, "Most people that I know and many of my family, they aren't able to work and live together. It's actually really weird because it'd seem like a lot of pressure. But it just feels natural and normal."

When asked if there was room to heal the rifts with their families, Meghan told The Cut, "I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive. But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. I've really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything."

"I have a lot to say until I don't," she added. "Do you like that? Sometimes, as they say, the silent part is still part of the song."

Samir Hussein/WireImage Meghan Markle, Prince Charles and Prince Harry

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to the U.K. next week for a series of charitable events. They will also travel to Germany to kick off next year's Invictus Games in Dusseldorf.

Meghan and Prince Harry "are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September," a spokesperson for the couple said.

It's unclear if the couple will see members of the royal family during their visit.

Samir Hussein/WireImage Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attending the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's Jubilee on June 3.

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As Meghan and Prince Harry continue to share more about their decision to leave royal life, the Archetypes podcast host revealed that they have not been filtered along the way.

"It's interesting, I've never had to sign anything that restricts me from talking," she said. "I can talk about my whole experience and make a choice not to."

Pressed ask to why she hadn't yet divulged more, Meghan said she was "still healing."