Meghan Markle was left in tears after Buckingham Palace issued a statement denying reports that she and Prince Harry were forced out of their royal roles by Prince William.
The moment was revisited in the couple’s 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan. Prince Harry said the statement — issued under both his and William’s names — was released without his consent.
“That day, a story came out that part of the reason why Meghan and I were leaving was because William had bullied us out,” Harry said. “I couldn’t believe it. No one had asked me permission to put my name to a statement like that. I rang M and told her, and she burst into floods of tears because within four hours they were happy to lie to protect my brother, and yet for three years they were never willing to tell the truth to protect us.”
The Palace Statement at the Centre of the Dispute
The statement followed Harry and Meghan’s 2020 announcement that they would step back as senior royals. A source quoted by The Times claimed the couple’s decision stemmed from William’s “bullying attitude” and being “constantly told their place.”
The short statement — attributed to “a Spokesperson for The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex” — read:
“Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge. For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and harmful.”
Harry has since said he had no knowledge of it before its release.
Why the Sussexes Left Royal Life
When the couple confirmed they would not return as working royals, the Palace issued another statement:
“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. While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.”
The Sussexes have since settled in Montecito, Santa Barbara, California, where they are raising Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
While many point to the intense scrutiny Meghan faced after her royal wedding, royal author Valentine Low suggested that the couple also wanted financial independence — something they could only achieve in the U.S. “Some suspected that in the end she wanted to make money,” he wrote. “And the only way she was going to do that was by leaving her royal life behind and going back to America.”