In early 2020, a photograph featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles, Prince William and Prince George posing in the throne room at Buckingham Palace was released. This image, intended to showcase the line of succession, reportedly had a significant impact on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
According to royal author Andrew Morton, the couple felt that the monarchy was conspiring against them, and this photo served as a “wake-up call,” solidifying their decision to step back from royal duties. On the face of it, the picture simply showcased the future of the monarchy and mirrored many historic portraits.
However, it is alleged to have caused upset behind the scenes.
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Charles, Prince William and Prince George – with the late Queen (Image: PA)
In the book Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, Andrew 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.”
Speaking to The Mirror’s podcast Pod Save The King, Morton further revealed that the couple had had started to think about leaving The Firm far earlier than the public thought, and said talks began just six months after their wedding.
He claims: “Harry was having conversations in a London hotel with Oprah Winfrey back in November 2018, just six months after they’d been married. So they were thinking about a different direction of travel pretty early on.”
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Harry and Meghan quit as senior working royals in 2020 (Image: Getty)
The release of this photo, combined with several other factors, led to the couple’s announcement in January 2020 that they would be stepping back from their senior royal roles.
They expressed a desire to become financially independent and to raise their family outside the intense media scrutiny of the UK. Since then, they have resided in a multi-million pound mansion in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
It comes after Prince Harry came under fire after giving an interview to the BBC, shortly after a judge dismissed his legal challenge concerning his security levels after stepping back as a working member of the royal family in 2020. Prince Harry said in the new interview, “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”
Harry further claimed his security issues “could be resolved” through his father. Buckingham Palace released a rare statement in response: “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”