MEGHAN Markle caused an “unforgivable” amount of stress to the late Queen and caused a bigger crisis in the royal family than Diana’s death, a royal expert has claimed.
Historian and biographer Hugo Vickers made surprising comments whilst appearing on The Sun’s hugely popular Royal Exclusive programme.
Hugo was talking to the newspaper’s royal editor, Matt Wilkinson, about the latest happenings in the royal household.
When asked what he considered to be the biggest crisis in the Royal Family in the last 50 years, Hugo initially pointed to Diana’s death.
Hugo said: “Well, 50 years doesn’t mean abdication, so I suppose Diana’s death in 1997 was the big crisis point.
“But, at the risk of being controversial, will Meghan Markle’s arrival be greater in the long term? Who knows.”
Returning to the topic, Matt agreed, adding that the time between the arrival of the Duchess of Sussex, everything changing and the departure of Meghan and Harry to start a new life in California was a “huge crisis in the Royal Family”.
Hugo said: “I find this all very interesting because I was in Windsor on the day they got married and their popularity and goodwill towards them was huge.
“I don’t think it was the press, they got away with it very, very quickly.
“What I find unforgivable is the stress she placed on the late Queen in the last years of her life.”
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were giving up royal duties to live in America, it created a crisis in the family.
At a hastily called summit at Sandringham in January 2020, the Queen’s decision was swift and final; The Sussexes may leave the family business, but they don’t have the trappings inherent in royalty.
The independent couple were told there was no “half in, half out” role and that they couldn’t have their cake and eat it as they wished them luck in their new life.
In her statement, the Queen thanked them for their “dedicated” work, saying she was “particularly proud of Meghan”.
She added: “My whole family hopes that today’s agreement will allow them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”
This new beginning was anything but peaceful for the Queen. Because although the couple had abandoned royal service, they remained in the family.
As a palace source said: “They may no longer be working members of the Royal Family, but they are not in exile.”
So in the mid-1990s – forced to isolate at Windsor Castle as Covid-19 spread – the Queen was asked to step up and deal with this transatlantic family crisis, over and over and over again.
Throughout the pandemic, the national sentiment has prevailed that Harry and Meghan would be better served in the United Kingdom by supporting the Royal Family rather than firing increasingly bitter shots from across the pond.
What I find unforgivable is the stress she placed on the late Queen in the last years of her life
Hugo Vicker
When the one-year review came, the Queen acted as head of state and head of household when the couple said they would not return.
Meghan was stripped of her patronage. Harry’s honorary military titles were formally removed.
They were replaced as President and Vice-President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust after stating that the former Empire “must right the wrongs” of the past.
In her final Megxit statement, the Queen explained: “Following conversations with the Duke, the Queen has written confirming that by stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that accompany a public life. service.
“While we are all saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family.”
The Duke of Sussex responded to the final Megxit deal – struck with Prince Philip in hospital – with an incendiary retort.
Their spokesperson said: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and the world, and have offered their continued support to organizations that represented, regardless of official role.
“We can all live a life of service. The service is universal.”
Harry started the review two months earlier because the couple wanted to tell “their truth” to Oprah Winfrey. The “tell-all” chat that aired days after the exchange of Megxit statements sent shockwaves across the world.
The couple claimed there was a racist in the Royal Family and claimed that concerns about Meghan’s mental health were ignored.
At the risk of being controversial, Meghan Markle’s arrival will be greater [crisis] long-term? Who knows
Hugo Vickers
Surprisingly, the Queen was not informed about what was planned, as palace sources revealed that “as non-working members of the Royal Family, they are under no obligation to inform the Royal Household of such plans”.
Faced with a barrage of accusations, many of which later turned out to be false, the Queen waited more than 38 hours to respond publicly. She ordered a family-led private investigation into the allegations but, tellingly, issued these words: “Some recollections may vary.”
She was civil in saying that the Sussexes remain “much loved members of the family.”
A source close to the Queen said: “She’s not angry, she’s just sad. They have always worried about him and the Queen feels very protective of him (Harry).
Just a few years earlier, the Queen welcomed divorced Meghan and issued an Instrument of Consent for the marriage in May 2018, saying she was “delighted for the couple.”
She gifted Meghan a set of pearl earrings and a necklace for her engagement and gifted the couple Frogmore Cottage.
The pair shared a tender moment as the Queen placed a blanket around Meghan’s knees at their first joint engagement in Cheshire. Meghan later told Oprah: “The Queen has always been wonderful to me.”
A source said: “She understood that Harry and Meghan wanted to leave, but it couldn’t happen to the detriment of the whole family.”
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