Prince Harry issues statement amid professional ‘separation’ from Meghan Markle

Prince Harry has issued a statement amid reports of a professional ‘separation’ from wife Meghan Markle.

Rumours of marital issues will, sadly, always be part and parcel for a royal, whose life is often subject to extreme tabloid scrutiny.

Harry and Meghan, however, still seem to be going strong – with six years of wedded bliss and two kids serving as firm evidence.

Mind you, that’s not stopped people from wondering why they’re rarely spotted together anymore in public.

After a stream of events attended solo by each of them since their return from Colombia back in August, fans have wondered what's going on behind the scenes.

Concern was first sparked when Meghan was seen out on her own in Los Angeles back in October, celebrating the hair care brand launch of her colourist friend, Kadi Lee.

Weeks later, Harry also appeared at a Canadian Football event in Vancouver in order to promote the upcoming Invictus Games in January, pointedly without his other half. Spectators at the tournament couldn’t help but wonder at the time why Meghan was absent, especially considering her close ties to Canada after previously filming the hit law drama Suits, with Harry explaining she'd remained in California. Which is hardly too surprising, given they have Archie and Lillibet at home.

Many have wondered why they're not spotted in public together so much anymore (Taylor Hill/WireImage/Getty Images)

Last week, Meghan issued an emotional statement at an event organised in partnership with the couple’s Archewell Foundation, lifting the lid on what she hopes to achieve in the coming months.

While she did not directly address reports of a work-based estrangement directly, she spoke out about the aims of her current project, which she is working on with Harry.

After attending an event for the Southern California Welcome Project - which was forged in partnership with her and husband's Archewell Foundation - she said: "This initiative, led by the partner organization Mina’s List, has spent the past year building community through storytelling and creating a safe space for women who have resettled in the U.S. from Afghanistan."

She added: "The evening included a shared meal that encouraged open conversation centered on gratitude and resilience."

Harry, meanwhile, is set to attend a launch party in New York later this week to kick off a new art exhibition for his charity Sentebale, which he set up with and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in memory of their respective mothers.

The Friend exhibition, which runs at the Ki Smith Gallery from 14 December to 19 January, is a showcase of works by various artists, with all profits supporting young people in Lesotho and Botswana.

Prince Harry with Prince Seeiso (Brian Otieno/Getty Images for Sentebale)

Again, Harry did not directly mention his wife as he spoke out about the forthcoming work commitment, but said in a joint statement with Prince Seeiso that the exhibition was ‘incredibly meaningful to the organisation’.

"Having Ki join us in Lesotho this past October to see Sentebale's work firsthand, and to experience the creativity, resilience and determination of the young people we serve, was truly special," they said.

Ki Smith, who recently visited Lesotho with Princes Harry and Seeiso, said the ethos of Sentebale ‘aligns perfectly’ with the values of the gallery: “Collaboration, optimism, and empowering the next generation."

"Friend is more than an exhibition; it's a celebration of what we can achieve when we come together to create meaningful change,” he said.