The Duchess of Sussex is “unlikely” to return to the UK lest she puts King Charles in a tight spot, one royal biographer claims.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Express US, Clive Irving, author of The Last Queen and royal columnist at The Daily Beast, claims Meghan Markle would face a barrage of criticism that puts pressure on the reigning monarch.

His comments come after a torrid few years for the Sussexes. Their attempts to decouple from the Royal Family and forge their own path has divided public opinion on both sides of the Atlantic and forced the monarchy to confront difficult questions about its past and future.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s now-infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey back in 2021 and their subsequent Netflix series grappled with the lingering effects of racism and colonialism within the monarchy.

The powder keg then exploded with the release of Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare, which saw the Duke air his grievances about royal life.

Given everything that’s happened, Meghan is likely to stay out of the picture moving forward, Mr Irving claims.

He explained: “The only contact with the royals will be Harry’s own direct returns [to the UK] on occasions when it’s necessary for him to show up as a member of the family.

“Meghan doesn’t want to be accused of embarrassing his father or being a burden on the monarchy.”

Mr Irving added: “It’s unlikely we will ever see Meghan in the same frame as Prince William and Princess Kate.”

This decoupling is part of a broader effort by the Sussexes to “redefine their lives as whole and complete” outside of the monarchy, the royal author claims.

After stepping down as working royals in 2020, Harry and Meghan have now successfully made the transition, Mr Irving says.