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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have now been away from royal life for over five years. Since ‘Megxit’ in March 2020, they have lodged serious accusations against Harry’s family, ranging from racism to physical fights.
But it has been claimed none of that torched their chances of a rehabilitation more than a single, throwaway word stemming from their initial decision to leave. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their intention to quit the royal family in January 2020 after the infamous Sandringham Summit, where the details of their departure were thrashed out.
In the aftermath, Queen Elizabeth issued a rare personal statement saying that while she would have wanted them to remain as working royals, she respected their decision. But it was Harry and Meghan’s statement that raised eyebrows amongst courtiers, who became convinced there was no way back for the pair.
In it, the Duke and Duchess said: “We will continue to collaborate with Her Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties.”. According to Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s royal editor, the word “collaborate” left palace staff ‘raging’.
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She said one told her: “No one collaborates with the Queen. This is not one of those ‘Kate Moss Top Shop tie-ups’.” She said she was “reminded” of the exchange after video footage of Meghan twerking in her delivery suite before giving birth to Lilibet was released last week.
Another source said: “This is exactly why Queen Elizabeth knew this whole half-in, half-out version of royalty they were lobbying for was never, ever going to work. Harry and Meghan were a law unto themselves from the start, pushing and pushing the envelope to their own professional and financial advantage.”
(Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images))
English claims the Queen knew Harry and Meghan’s departure would “all end in disaster” and that the twerking video shows “why King Charles has, sadly, had no option but to stick to his current course and cut his youngest son loose”. The King has now “firmly parked” the “Harry issue” while royal sources suggest Harry’s talks of reconciliation is “just another attempt to gain public sympathy and deflect from his many PR woes”.
What was said about ‘Megxit’
Following the Sandringham Summit, the Queen had said: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.
“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family. Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.
“It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK. These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
Harry and Meghan, who stepped back from all royal duties in 2021, said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.
“It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.
“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”
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