Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK Trip Isn’t Turning Out to Be the ‘Romantic Escape They’d Imagined’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s family getaway has been anything but relaxing, a source tells In Touch.

The Duke, 41, and Duchess of Sussex, 44, were vacationing in Europe with their two young children, Prince Archie, 7 and Princess Lilibet, 5, ahead of their upcoming visit to the U.K., per People, which has been scrapped after a request for taxpayer-funded police protection was denied.

“This was supposed to be a chance to enjoy a bit of downtime together, but instead it turned into one long strategy session,” says the source. “They were constantly on the phone with lawyers and publicists trying to get ahead of the security fallout and by the time that was over, Meghan was pulled into a bunch of work drama with her brand.”

All the chaos hasn’t left the couple much time for romance, the source notes. “They had very high hopes for this trip but by all accounts, it ended up being very stressful.”

It’s also brought “old arguments” back “to the forefront,” In Touch‘s source reveals.

“Harry doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life just sitting in the background being Meghan’s plus one while she does nothing but work herself to the bone,” explains the source, “and she doesn’t want to sit around watching him beat himself up with guilt for all the things that are going on with his family.”

Fortunately, the Susseses are “both very committed to finding their way through this, so in that sense having time to talk things out was positive,” adds the source. “But it certainly wasn’t the romantic escape they’d imagined.”