The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit was permanent. Buckingham Palace insiders say the Queen knew there was “no way back” for the couple, but made clear they remained “much-loved members of the family”.
But in a statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hit back and said: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
A source said the comment “clearly demonstrates the deep wounds of the past remain for at least one side”.
They told the Daily Mirror: “When all is said and done the Queen has a great deal of love and admiration for the pair of them and that will not change, but it must be said, the tone of their statement was a little abrupt.”
Under the decision, Prince Harry will lose his roles as Captain-General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands’ Small Ships and Diving.
Meghan Markle, a former actress in the hit US-drama Suits, lost her patronages of the prestigious Royal National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
The decision came after the duke held talks with his grandmother the Queen and other senior royals ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Sussexes formally stepping down as working royals on March 31st.
A second insider made clear: “The Queen has always had a great affection for Harry, but she was clear from the offset… ‘duty is everything’.
“When Harry and Meghan decided they didn’t want to be part of the collective in favour of making millions in the corporate world, the Queen acted with a heavy heart but knew there was no way back for them.”
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8:30am update: History will not judge queen ‘poorly’ over Megxit decision
Royal commentator Peter Hunt told LBC that history will judge the Queen poorly for her decision not to allow Harry and Meghan to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.
Mr Hunt said: “My feeling is that where we stand now is actually that history will come to judge the Queen poorly for this decision.”
He added: “This is a family decision. This is a decision by a monarch about a grandson.
“He is her grandson and he is the son of a future king, and a compromise could have been concocted.”
