King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer and his family are rushing to be with him, but one person who won’t be there is Meghan Markle as she is choosing to stay in California

Prince Harry has been seen rushing to the airport to catch a flight to the UK after his father King Charles was diagnosed with cancer, but his wife Meghan Markle didn’t join him.

The Duke of Sussex is due to land in the UK around midday today to be by the monarch’s side. Meghan and their two children – Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – are instead staying at their home in Montecito, California.

The former actress has faced a mixed reaction for her decision to stay in America. PR expert Ryan McCormick believes Meghan won’t be “received well by the public” unless she shows “the utmost concern for both Charles and Harry”.

Meghan Markle is choosing not to return to the UK ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Ryan said: “As of Monday, various news outlets reported that Meghan Markle was staying in LA while Harry rushed to Prince Charles’ side in wake of his cancer diagnosis. On Twitter both #MeghanMarkle and #Markle hashtags are not trending favourably.

“Like any well-known figure, Markle’s actions are constantly scrutinised. If she doesn’t join Harry soon, speculation will build as to why and rumours will begin swirling.”

He also suggested Meghan’s failure to return to the UK could worsen the relationship with her own father, Thomas Markle. Ryan added: “Meghan’s father Thomas who is 79 appeared on Good Morning Britain in September 2023 begging her to let him see his grandchildren. I predict this story will resurface again.”

King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Ryan did suggest Harry might have decided to do his trip to the UK alone due to the difficulty of preparing their children. He explained: “Charles’ diagnosis was unexpected and of course it’s probably challenging to prepare the kids for a long trip on short notice.”

However, the expert said Meghan must show concern for Charles and the Royal Family if she’s to be perceived well by the public. “If Meghan isn’t perceived as showing the utmost concern for both Charles and Harry in a genuine family crisis, it will not be received well by the public,” he told us.

Buckingham Palace announced the King’s cancer diagnosis last night and said he will undergo immediate treatment. The monarch was last month diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and spent three days in hospital after undergoing a medical procedure for the benign condition.

It was during this intervention that a separate issue of concern was noted and subsequently diagnosed as a form of cancer. This second condition will now receive “appropriate treatment from a specialist team”.