Harry and Meghan's 'wake-up call' as decision to leave fuelled by one picture
12.11.2022 - 14:13
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as senior royals in January 2020, as they were convinced that the 'entire institution' was against them.
Royal author Andrew Morton believes that out of all the possible reasons for their departure, there's one picture in particular that could have been a "wake-up call" for them.
Even before they stepped down, Harry and Meghan had reportedly long believed that The Firm were "conspiring against them". This argument came to a head when the Royal Family released an official photograph which showed the late Queen and her heirs, King Charles, Prince William and Prince George, the Mirror reports.
The picture was released in 2020 just days before Harry and Meghan announced that they were stepping down.
Upon looking at the photo, it seems as though it simply lined up the future of the monarchy, like many pictures in the past had done. But it apparently caused difficulties at Buckingham Palace, according to the royal author.
In his book Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, Morton wrote: "The royal couple suspected that the entire institution was conspiring against them. As they saw it, the evidence was all around them.
"The unspoken code was straightforward: the future of the monarchy was assured, with or without Meghan and Harry."
Harry then cancelled a meeting with the Queen during which they were supposed to talk about his royal future, Andrew claims.
"This sense that, despite their international popularity, they were low down the royal totem pole was confirmed when Harry arranged to meet the Queen for a grandson-to-grandmother chat in early January.
"At the last minute the meeting was postponed. Pod Save the King suspected classic internal politics, his family concerned that