Suits’ Ratings DROP As Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Relationship Heats Up

Suits returned for the first time since Meghan Markle confirmed her controversial relationship with Prince Harry, but viewers didn’t tune in to watch the royal’s girlfriend on the small screen. Ratings for the USA show plummeted for the mid-season six premiere.

The episode, which aired on Wednesday, January 25, brought in 1,374,000 viewers compared to the 1,848,000 who tuned in for the season six premiere, TV by the Numbers reports.

Despite the crash in ratings, the show has been signed for season seven

The dip doesn’t come as a surprise, as Markle, 35, has come under fire in recent months for her shocking romance with the royal.

The backlash Markle received because of her race, past divorce and age forced Prince Harry, 32, to release a statement defending his girlfriend.

“The past week has seen a line crossed,” he wrote. “Meghan Markle has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public — the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”

But Markle continues to be surrounded by scandal, as her brother, Thomas Markle Jr., 50, was arrested and charged with holding a gun to a woman’s head after a drunken argument at his home on January 12.

The crime is causing outrage among the royal family, as Radar exclusively revealed Prince Charles told his son to dump her!

PHOTOS: Prince Harry Pushes Forward With Engagement Plans To Meghan Markle

“It was the last straw for Charles and Camilla,” an insider told Radar. “Harry’s been explicitly told to stay away from controversy as he moves from hard-partying playboy to hardworking royal.”

The source added, “But it seems he’s caught up in one scandal after another involving Meghan. Harry doesn’t care. He is totally in love with her and desperate to marry her

Meghan Markle in Camilla's firing line

According to a report in Woman’s Day, Camilla is doing whatever it takes to make sure Suits actress Meghan and her 32-year-old son-in-law never marry.

"She doesn’t do tantrums, but she has considerable influence,” a palace insider told the magazine.

“If she doesn’t get her way, she leans on Charles and Charles acts.”

The news comes after Meghan’s family has been plagued with controversy in recent weeks.

The actress, who has reportedly been dating Prince Harry for the past eight months, has been under scrutiny after their relationship was made public knowledge.

The star’s 50-year-old brother, Tom Jr, was recently arrested after allegedly brandishing a gun at his girlfriend, Darlene, during a booze-filled argument.

Tom Jr. was arrested and a police investigation into the incident has been launched.

However Markle’s brother has pleaded with his half-sister to forgive him and claimed he would love to be invited to Buckingham Palace if a royal wedding were to take place between the pair.

“If I may say so, Prince Harry has made a few in his time and learnt from them. I just need the same chance,” Tom told the Sun.

“Marriage and kids is on the cards for Meghan and Harry and I still want to go to the wedding if they’ll let me.

“Of course I want to go to London and Buckingham Palace.”

And Tom Jr. isn’t the only family member who’s had a run-in with the law as Markle’s father has reportedly has a long history of debt and filed for bankruptcy last year.

However Meghan’s mother, Doria is reportedly in the good books with the royal family for remaining silent on her daughter’s new relationship.

Camilla hasn’t been afraid to let her feelings be known about her sons-in-law’s romances in the past and she was reportedly behind the reason why Prince William and Kate Middleton split way back in 2007.

At the time it was thought it was due to William’s unwillingness to commit to a relationship, however now it’s been claimed that Charles’ second wife, Camilla, may have orchestrated the whole thing.

According to author Christopher Anderson, who wrote the book William and Kate: A Royal Love Story, Camilla was furious that Kate was “sucking up all the attention” at a time when she was trying to win over the public.

Rumor Bust! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Not Engaged

Love is in the air for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, but that doesn’t mean they are headed down the aisle.

A report surfaced this week that had the pair was getting hitched, including the assertion, “The spare heir has already popped the question to girlfriend Meghan Markle, and she said yes.” It went on to say, “They’ve been holding in the news like a couple of giddy school kids; they’re dying to finally be able to share it with the rest of the world.”

Gossip Cop can confirm that the rumors are false, reporting, “An impeccable royal insider, who 100 percent assures us the palace did not confirm the story and, more significantly, Prince Harry is not engaged ‘secretly' or otherwise."