Harry was furious when he and Meghan were given seats at the back of the royal family at a Commonwealth event last year, like extras.
While William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla gathered behind the Queen as they walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, Meghan and Harry had to “move to their seats” like any other members of the audience.
According to Lacey, the couple were forced to “choose seats on the sidelines”, next to Prince Edward and his wife, the Duchess of Wessex Sophie.
“They were punished,” Lacey writes, for their “hasty and aggressive” handling of Megxit. Meghan and Harry were excluded from the original order of events, the author says—a “black-and-white snub for all to see.”
The Sussexes left the royal family on March 31 last year, and just a year after the Megxit deal, both confirmed they would not be returning.
Lacey believes there is “nothing to lose” by letting the Sussexes attend the final event, because “their sudden decision to withdraw from the royal family is clearly too cruel”.
“When Harry learned that he and Meghan had been sidelined in the process of walking and seating for this final appearance, he was furious,” Lacey said. “The existence of ‘extras’ could not have been more clearly illustrated in this situation.”
At the event, Harry and Meghan sat together in the second row behind the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, and William and Kate. Despite being snubbed, Meghan waved and said “hello” when William and Kate took their seats.
Harry and Meghan sparked a royal crisis after revealing they wanted to step back from their senior roles and become financially independent while still supporting and serving the Queen. However, their plans were rejected by the head of the throne. As a result, they had to withdraw from the royal family completely and pursue a new life in the US.