Meghan, Harry underestimated place in Hollywood ‘pecking order’: ex-pal

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were ill-prepared for just how low down the Hollywood “pecking order” they’d be, according to a former friend of the actress.

TV presenter Nick Ede, who says his friendship with the former “Suits” star kickstarted years before she had her sights set on the palace, claims that the pair didn’t realize they wouldn’t be known as “Hollywood royalty” when they moved across the pond to California.

“I think they came in and thought that the number one people on the block and they’re not really,” Ede, who says he lost contact with Markle when she started dating the Duke of Sussex, told the Express.

“They’re kind of quite far down really in that pecking order. And I think that’s been an issue with them, in that sense of stepping down.”

Ede, 49, claims the royals don’t carry the same prestige in Hollywood as other stars like the Kardashians, for example.

“I think the thing is that you forget that in Hollywood royalty isn’t somebody with a title,” he explained. “It’s J.Lo, it’s Sharon Stone, it’s Beyoncé, it’s the Kardashians. That’s their royalty.”

“And also the Obamas or Clintons. If you’ve been in office, apart from Trump, then you’re seen as being a top dog. I think they have underestimated that in many ways,” he added.

Ede claims he struck up a friendship with Markle back in 2013 after he asked the then-actress to host the London Global Gift Gala.

He went on to say she was “really nice” during their three-year friendship.

The Sussexes sensationally stepped down as senior members of the royal family in 2021 — a decision that was followed by a permanent move to the US, and several high-publicity projects such as a Netflix doc, and Harry’s memoir, “Spare.”

It’s reported that another royal, Prince Andrew, is now exploring a potential move to the US after “keeping an eye” on how Harry and Meghan would get on.

The source claimed that the 62-year-old is “very interested” in “business and charity” — but unlike his nephew, he will not be exploring Netflix-style projects as he looks to “forge a new career.”