After the Duke of Sussex wed Meghan Markle and the pair struggled with the demands of royal life, their once-strong brotherly bond broke. In 2020, they ultimately made the decision to resign from their royal duties and go to the US.
Since their surprising exit from the monarchy over three years ago, Harry and Meghan have not held back from taking aim at the royal family on several occasions, making some shocking allegations against them. In the Sussexes' revealing Netflix docuseries, the couple recalls a moment involving Prince William that Harry claims left him furious and Meghan in tears.
This moment unfolded when Prince Harry didn't provide his consent for a joint palace statement to be released, dismissing allegations of bullying against Meghan. According to Harry, this incident drove a wedge between him and his brother. In episode 5 of the docuseries, he remarked, "I mean, the saddest part of it was this wedge created between me and my brother so that he's now on the institution's side. I get that, I understand, that's his inheritance. So, to some extent, it's already ingrained in him that part of his responsibility is the survivability and the continuation of this institution."
Harry went on to explain that the day a story emerged about him and Meghan leaving because of William's alleged bullying, a joint statement was issued in his name and his brother's name, denying the bullying claims. Harry expressed his disbelief that no one had asked for his permission to release such a statement. When he shared this news with Meghan, she burst into tears because, within four hours, they were willing to lie to protect his brother, yet for three years, they hadn't been willing to tell the truth to protect them.
A royal historian and expert have cautioned that Harry and Meghan's decision to air their grievances in public has caused harm to the concept of a family monarchy. Since stepping back from their senior royal roles, the Sussexes have launched several high-profile attacks on their royal relatives, particularly targeting King Charles and Prince William. This has not only strained their personal relationships with Harry's immediate family but has also significantly tarnished the royal family's image as the epitome of British family life.
Historian Derry Owens, while speaking on The Mirror's "Pod Save the King" podcast, further suggested that it might be time for the monarchy to abandon its family-oriented image. He explained that the story is somewhat tragic, as it has damaged the idea of a family monarchy, the notion that this is a united group embodying the best of British family life.
Originally, King Charles III's reign was envisioned as being supported by his two trusted lieutenants, William and Harry. However, when that vision went awry in early 2020 due to Harry and Meghan's decision to leave Britain, it put an end to that idea of a family monarchy. The Sussexes' habit of airing their grievances in public for nearly three years has only exacerbated the damage to the narrative of a happy family life within the royal family.
