Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly decided to leave the British Royal Family after Buckingham Palace shared a photo of the heirs.
In his biography Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, British author Andrew Morton claims that the “last straw” in the strained relationship between the Sussexes and the British Royal Family was a photo shared by Buckingham Palace in 2020.
The photo shows four generations of the British Royal Family, including Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs – King Charles (then Prince Charles), Prince William and Prince George.
The photo that made Harry and Meghan leave the British Royal Family – Photo 1.
The photo of Queen Elizabeth II with the heirs in 2020 is said to have upset Harry and Meghan. Photo: Reuters.
According to Mr. Morton, Harry and Meghan were surprised to see the photo. “The royal couple suspected the entire establishment was conspiring against them. When they saw it, the evidence was all around them. The unwritten rule was clear: the future of the monarchy is secure with or without Harry and Meghan,” he explained.
On January 8, 2020, two days after the photo was released, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed that they were stepping back from their senior royal roles to start a new life in North America and work towards financial independence.
Initially, Harry moved with his wife and children to Canada. Shortly after, they bought a house and settled in Montecito, California.
Although in the announcement he promised to continue supporting his grandmother, father, brother and other members of the British Royal Family, what Harry did after that was completely opposite. The Sussexes’ choice to leave the UK not only widened the distance with their family but also exacerbated the conflict between Harry and his brother William. King Charles’ youngest son has repeatedly attacked the royal family in television interviews, a Netflix documentary series and his memoir Spare.
Harry said no one supported his and his wife’s decision to leave. “It was horrible to have my brother screaming and yelling at me. My father said things that weren’t true, and my grandmother sat there quietly and took it all,” he said.
Harry added that what saddened him most was that the good brotherly relationship was no longer there because William chose to side with the royal family. According to Prince Harry, he understood William because the royal family was an inheritance and a responsibility that his brother had since birth.
However, Harry was still upset that the royal family was willing to protect his brother, but never revealed the truth to defend him and his wife Meghan.
The British royal family has never spoken out about the accusations from the Sussexes. However, in reality, they have refuted Harry with actions.
The last time Harry and William were in contact was during the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. After that, although Harry returned to the UK several times, including to attend King Charles’ coronation in May, the two brothers are said to have not spoken or seen each other.