Queen Elizabeth II expressed how heartbreaking it was for her when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to quit their royal duties on January 8, 2020. Today marks 5 years since the date the royal couple quit the royal family. Even though Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022, the late monarch’s response to Prince Harry’s decision will forever be remembered. As per sources, Queen Elizabeth II issued a rare statement that said, “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family.”
As per reports, Prince Harry regrets the manner in which his family found out about him leaving the royal family five years ago. Even though Prince Harry is happy to be in California, he does not feel content with how things ended years back. In 2020, the Duke of Sussex, 40, and wife Meghan Markle, 43, decided to officially part ways with the royal family.
#BREAKING: Prince Harry has spoken publically for the first, saying he and Meghan had “no other option” but to step back from the royal family. #9Today pic.twitter.com/0ZOkMLYc8w
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) January 19, 2020
In 2020, the royal couple took to social media to announce their decision to step back from their full-time royal duties and start on their journey. They even took on their lives financially and independently. As soon as the news came out, shockwaves ran across the world, and the news took the internet by storm. What’s shocking is that even his own family had no idea it was coming.
Harry’s family were taken aback when they learnt that the young Prince and his wife were planning to leave their royal status. This even included his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the reigning monarch during that time.
As per Telegraph, Harry later felt remorse about how he ‘blindsided’ his grandmother. He was even repentant about not talking to the Queen before taking this huge decision. A source also mentioned, “I don’t think he fully appreciated the impact the statement would have in terms of them not consulting the Queen. He regrets that.”
The Prince indeed feels sorry about not speaking to his family before moving away from royalty. But he never regretted his overall decision to step back from his royal responsibilities and start a new life. He even expressed how “grateful” he is to be able to live a peaceful and happy life in America.
According to Prince Harry they knew that Meghan was going to leave because of the bullying and abuse. However they didn’t expect him to follow her. They will never forgive her because the most charismatic guy in the Royal family chose her. He chose love over loyalty to bigots. pic.twitter.com/afvYiZyDzK
— Resilient (@KaindeB) October 6, 2024
Prince Harry opened up about this in both the Netflix docuseries Harry and Meghan, released in 2022, and his memoir Spare, released in 2023. Harry also mentioned the same thing last year. In a conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin, columnist and Dealbook founder at the New York Times DealBook Online Summit on December 4, Harry said, “I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here.”
“It’s a part of my life that I never thought I was going to live. I feel as though it’s the life that my mum wanted for me. To be able to do the things I’m able to do with my kids that I undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do in the UK — it’s huge. That is a fantastic opportunity and I’m hugely grateful for that,” added Harry.
The couple moved overseas in 2020, and bought their Montecito mansion in California in June 2020. The couple has been living there ever since with their children Prince Archie, 5 and Princess Lilibet, 3.
