Prince Harry’s Departure and Its Impact on Royal Trust

Prince Harry’s decision to leave the royal fold in 2020, along with Meghan Markle, has reportedly strained his relationship with Queen Elizabeth II before her death. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s public discussions about family matters and their ventures into media have led to a loss of trust within the royal family.

Royal commentator Phil Dampier explained that the late Queen, and now King Charles, harbored concerns about Harry and Meghan’s tendency to appear with a Netflix crew or photographers. “You always get the feeling that whatever happens, whatever the discussions are, that it’s going to sooner or later end up on a program or in some sort of podcast,” Dampier stated. This fear of private moments being exploited for media content significantly eroded the family’s trust in Harry.

Royal expert Ingrid Seward noted that Queen Elizabeth had high hopes for Harry and Meghan’s role in the Commonwealth, valuing Meghan’s mixed-race heritage, youth, and style. However, the couple’s decision to step back from royal duties in 2020 was a source of great disappointment for the Queen. “Imagine her distress when everything she had hoped for from Harry and Meghan failed to materialize,” Seward remarked.

The late Queen viewed Meghan’s background and attributes as beneficial for modernizing the monarchy, but their departure was seen as a betrayal. Seward highlighted that this period marked a critical turning point in the Queen’s relationship with Harry, leading to a more resolute stance from the monarch.

Queen Elizabeth passed away in 2022, and the repercussions of Harry and Meghan’s choices continue to affect their standing within the royal family. The trust issues rooted in their departure and subsequent actions remain a poignant topic in the ongoing narrative of the Sussexes and their royal connections.