“I think Meghan thought she was going to be the Beyoncé of the U.K.,” a former palace insider told royal author Valentine Low for her new bombshell book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown.
“Being part of the royal family would give her that kudos,” the insider continued. “Whereas what she discovered was that there were so many rules that were so ridiculous that she couldn’t even do the things that she could do as a private individual, which is tough.”
The duo, who tied the knot in 2018, later announced they were stepping back as senior members of the royal family. Harry’s brood, including Queen Elizabeth, sat down to discuss next steps.
“It just required the decision-makers to sit around a table and say, ‘OK, what are we going to do about this? What do you need to feel better? And what can we give?’” a palace insider told the author.
Harry and Meghan tried to find a happy medium, but the Queen wasn’t interested.
“They wanted to find a compromise whereby they could live part of the year abroad but carry out some royal duties at home. No such compromise was found,” the book reads. “Crucially, it was the Queen who took the view that unless the couple were prepared to abide by the restrictions that applied to working members of the royal family, they could not be allowed to carry out official duties.
“One source said: ‘There was a very clear view: you can’t be in and out. And if you’ve got such clarity of view, it’s very difficult to say, ‘Why don’t we go 10 per cent this way instead of 20 percent?’” the author writes. “Compromise was off the table, removed by the Queen.”
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family,” the message read. “Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service. The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.”
