The rumoured new romance between Prince Harry, 32, and U.S. actress Meghan Markle, 35, continues to generate endless tabloid fodder. After the Sunday Express reported on Sunday that the prince has been secretly dating the actress since they met in Toronto in May, a firestorm of speculation has dominated international headlines. Toronto, in particular, has been at the centre of all of the attention because Markle lives in the city and films the popular television drama 鈥淪uits鈥� there.
As the rumour mill relentlessly churns, here鈥檚 a round-up of the latest gossip fueling the fire and keeping tongues wagging.
Halloween in Toronto
On Tuesday, the Evening Standard reported that Prince Harry had cancelled a Sunday British Airways flight from Heathrow to Toronto to visit Markle because of the intense media scrutiny surrounding their supposed romance. The British newspaper said a source claimed Harry was a 鈥渘o-show鈥� for the flight that was booked last week.
Now, the U.S. entertainment magazine US Weekly states that the cancelled flight was just a decoy to divert the media鈥檚 attention and that the prince was actually in Toronto this weekend. The magazine cited a friend of Harry鈥檚 for the exclusive information about his 鈥渢op secret鈥� visit. The source said Prince Harry took a commercial flight to Pearson International Airport on Friday and kept a 鈥渓ow profile.鈥�
鈥淗e was buzzing with excitement when he arrived,鈥� the source told US Weekly. 鈥淎 car was waiting at the airport so he could be driven to Meghan鈥檚 house.鈥�
According to the insider, the prince stayed at Markle鈥檚 home near Dupont Street. Although US Weekly鈥檚 source said the alleged couple 鈥渉oled up鈥� at her place and didn鈥檛 go out on the town on Halloween night, The Toronto Star has reported otherwise. The newspaper wrote that Prince Harry and Markle were spotted revelling at a Toronto Halloween party on Saturday night, according to a 鈥渟py.鈥� The prince has been seen with a pack of black SUVs in tow in the neighbourhood for the last few weeks, the newspaper鈥檚 sources claim.
Family introductions
On Tuesday, People magazine reported that Prince Harry and Markle have been 鈥渄ating seriously鈥� for a couple of months and that an engagement is 鈥渃ertainly a possibility.鈥� The U.S. magazine cited a 鈥渇riend鈥� for the wedding speculation.
鈥淚t is certainly one possible outcome. It鈥檚 pretty serious, so we will see,鈥� the source said.
According to the magazine, the romance has become so serious that Harry has already introduced his new girlfriend to his father, Prince Charles.
鈥淗arry is pretty serious about her and she is pretty serious about him,鈥� a friend told the magazine.
Prince Charles isn鈥檛 the only royal family member Markle has met, according to the Sunday Express. The British newspaper quoted a source saying the actress also met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
鈥淲illiam and Kate really liked her and she fitted in straight away,鈥� the insider said.
US Weekly added that a source said the actress went on a double date with Harry鈥檚 cousin Princess Eugenie and her boyfriend Jack Brooksbank. Markle has also met the prince鈥檚 closest friends according to the magazine.
鈥淪he鈥檚 met his closest circle of friends, and they all love her,鈥� a source said.
First interview
On Tuesday, the Vancouver Sun published the first interview with Markle since her supposed romance with Prince Harry romance was revealed on the weekend. The actress did not address Prince Harry or the rumours, but she did provide a glimpse into her mindset these days.
鈥淢y cup runneth over and I鈥檓 the luckiest girl in the world!鈥� Markle stated.
The majority of the interview was spent discussing fashion and Markle鈥檚 new collection for Canadian retailer Reitmans, but a number of publications have speculated what her 鈥渓uckiest girl鈥� quote might indicate.
Instagram hints
Markle might be fanning the flames of suggestion herself with her Instagram account. The actress posted a photo of a tea cup and an elephant-shaped teapot surrounded by puzzle pieces on Tuesday. The stereotypical British pastime of having tea and the elephant (Prince Harry famously loves elephants) set off a whirlwind of speculation that Markle was hinting at her relationship with the prince.
Earlier on Tuesday, the coy actress also posted a cryptic photo of a pair of smiling, spooning bananas with the caption 鈥淪leep tight xx.鈥� The post鈥檚 commenters speculated what the romantic bananas could mean and many asked whether they were meant to represent Markle and Prince Harry.
鈥楿nofficial鈥� response
Markle鈥檚 representatives, Kruger Cowne, issued a puzzling response to The Sun鈥檚 inquiries about the romance. A spokesperson said the relationship was still 鈥渦nofficial鈥� and then added, 鈥淗owever, should this be confirmed by the Palace, all of us at Kruger Cowne are delighted for them and wish them well.鈥�
Instead of refusing to comment or outright denying the claims, Markle鈥檚 representatives strangely chose to congratulate the couple if the Royal Family confirmed the rumours.
