Meghan Markle Claimed Her Passport Was Held By The Royals—Now Her Trips Are Scrutinized
Controversy about Meghan Markle and her travels, amid claims she had her passport taken away by the British Royal Family, resurfaced and went viral earlier this week. As a result, Bored Panda has taken a closer look at the 13 alleged foreign holidays the Duchess of Sussex has supposedly taken while deprived of her official identifications.
A resurfaced 2021 report by The Sun criticized the 13 holidays Meghan has been on after starting to date Prince Harry.
At the time, all eyes were on the couple after they had left the UK, seeking financial independence and freedom from intense media scrutiny, as discussed in their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
During the damning one-on-one with Oprah, the 42-year-old actress revealed: “You couldn’t just go. You couldn’t.”
Controversy about Meghan Markle and her travels, amid claims she had her passport taken away by the British Royal Family, resurfaced
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“I mean, you have to understand, as well, when I joined that family, that was the last time, until we came here, that I saw my passport, my driver’s license, my keys.
“All that gets turned over. I didn’t see any of that anymore.”
It was understood then from royal sources that Meghan’s passport had to be kept safe to ensure it did not fall into the wrong hands, The Sun reported.
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According to the Royal Family’s official website, all members of the Royal Family need to travel with passports when travelling abroad, except for the King.
Royal author Margaret Holder told the conservative British tabloid: “Of course, the Royal Family would want to keep Meghan’s passport safe.
“But it’s unthinkable she didn’t carry it for personal and private trips such as her New York baby shower, travelling to see friends in Canada, partying in Amsterdam, and going to Lake Como with George Clooney.”
Bored Panda took a closer look at the 13 alleged foreign holidays the Duchess of Sussex has supposedly taken while deprived of her passport
Image credits: Andrew Esiebo/Getty Images
Although The Sun referenced trips dating back to 2016, it is possible that Meghan only meant that her passport was withheld when she officially joined the Royal Family after she married Harry in 2018.
Before her tying the knot with the Duke of Sussex, the Suits star travelled to Botswana with her future husband, six weeks after their first date, in 2016. They also visited Zambia.
After getting married on May 19, 2018, George Clooney and his wife, Amal, sent a private jet to pick up the royal couple for a bash at his 25-bed villa on Lake Como, Italy, The Sun reported.
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This trip occurred before Brexit (when the UK left the European Union on January 31, 2020). Prior to the political change, British tourists could travel to European countries within the Schengen Area with just their national ID card.
Despite certain passport controls occurring for travellers flying from the UK to European countries, minimal checks and entry were also frequently adopted within the Schengen Area.
As a result, Harry and Meghan likely did not have to use their passports to travel to Italy in 2018 and again in 2019 to attend fashion designer Misha Nonoo’s lavish wedding in Rome.
The resurfaced 2021 report by The Sun criticized the 13 holidays Meghan has been on after starting to date Prince Harry
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In September 2018, the Amsterdam Soho House party in the Netherlands saw the lovebirds sipping cocktails with Brit actors Eddie Redmayne and Jenna Coleman for the launch of the posh members’ club and hotel, The Sun reported.
Moreover, between 2017 and 2019, the famous pair travelled to Norway, Spain, and France. These trips, again, occurred within Europe’s unrestricted travelling areas before Brexit.
Nevertheless, between 2017 and 2019, Meghan and Harry flew overseas to Jamaica, Canada, and the US, where rigorous passport controls are mandatory. It would’ve, therefore, not been possible to travel to these countries without official identifications.
The resurfaced report prompted many avid fans of the Royal Family to scrutinize Meghan
