Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused by a royal expert of timing the launch of her podcast around the prince’s court date in order to get extra publicity. The Duke of Sussex, 40, was in the UK this week for a court appeal hearing surrounding a decision made in 2020 by Ravec and the Home Office to reduce his security rights in the UK after he stepped down as a senior royal.

However, on the first day of the two-day hearing this week on April 8, Meghan - who stayed at home in California - launched the first episode of her new podcast Confessions of A Female Founder.

While the date of the podcast launch and the court hearing may have clashed coincidentally, royal expert and author Robert Jobson thinks the timing of the events was "no coincidence".

He also told The Sun that he thinks the couple, who have lived in Montecito since 2020, have a media strategist.

Talking about the diary clash, Jobson said: “Could be coincidence, but I don't think very many coincidences come out of Montecito. I think they know that they have got a media strategist around.

"They know that when they're going to be in the spotlight, or Harry's going to be in the spotlight, you can probably get more publicity for Meghan, and so they're not daft.

"They know the score. They know the way the media works, and they probably go in. It may be coincidental, but it could easily just as well be planned."

Harry’s court appeal hearing came to an end yesterday, with the outcome set to be revealed in writing at a later date.

It is not known whether the Duke has already flown back to the couple's Montecito home where Meghan, 40, has stayed this week with Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

Harry has always insisted that he will not bring his family to the UK until he feels like it is safe enough to do so.

The Duke’s visit to the UK not only coincided with his wife’s podcast launch, but it also came at the same time as the King’s state visit to Italy with Queen Camilla. It is believed the prince did not meet his father before the King flew to Italy earlier this week.