Harry defends Meghan publicly but finds Invictus dress controversy 'difficult to defend'

Prince Harry is said to be privately battling discomfort over his wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex's, decision to promote dresses she wore at previous Invictus Games events via commission-linked social media posts — even as he continues to defend her publicly.

A well-placed insider shared the details of the reported tension with Heat magazine, painting a picture of a husband caught between loyalty and unease at a particularly sensitive moment for the couple.

The source of the controversy

The backlash centres on Meghan sharing photographs of outfits she wore at past Invictus Games — an international sporting event created by Prince Harry for disabled veterans. Critics have taken issue with the posts because Meghan reportedly earns between 10 and 20 per cent commission on each sale made through her shared links, raising questions about profiting from the platform.

Harry's private anguish

Despite standing by Meghan in public, the Duke of Sussex is said to be far from comfortable with the situation behind closed doors. "Harry is always going to defend Meghan publicly but it's no secret this is making him deeply uncomfortable, the last thing he needs is even a whiff of impropriety at such a sensitive time," the source told Heat.

The insider also highlighted a fundamental difference in how the couple respond to public scrutiny. "Harry and Meghan have very different reactions whenever they're faced with this sort of public controversy," they said.

Two very different instincts

On Harry's side, the reflex is one of caution and concern for appearances. "Harry's instinct is always to worry about appearances and reputational damage. He will hate the idea of the conversation becoming about Meghan's wardrobe or social media strategy but he's also not going to want to be seen as being an unsupportive husband," the source explained.

His entire upbringing as a member of the royal family has ingrained in him a particular sensitivity to perception. The source noted that Harry still believes "even the smallest conflict of interest is to be avoided at all cost."

Meghan's contrasting response

Meghan's approach, by contrast, is one of dismissal. She "wants to ignore the criticism and says Harry should too because it's just manufactured outrage. But for Harry this is highly embarrassing and difficult to defend," the source said.