MESSAGES HIDDEN IN THAT ASTONISHING SPEECH

■ A PLEA FOR SYMPATHY It’s been a tough week for Harry, whose decision to step back from life as a senior royal and move to Canada has not been universally popular. Here he wants to remind us that we shouldn’t begrudge him the happiness he has finally found and allow him to live ‘his best life’ away from the spotlight.

■ REGRETS? I’VE HAD A FEW While the Queen has spoken openly of her sadness and regret over what’s happened, this is the first time Harry admits he has made mistakes (although he doesn’t specify what, it can be taken as a reference to recent events such as being criticised for preaching about the environment while taking private jets). It is also clear that this decision has weighed heavily on his mind and he wants a far from entirely sympathetic public to understand this.

■ SWIPE AT THE MEDIA The prince has always blamed the media quickly when issues have gone wrong in his life, regardless of the circumstances. And he has long made it clear that he felt criticism of himself and his wife was unfair and unwarranted. Unsurprisingly, he cannot resist one parting short.

The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change.

I have grown up feeling support from so many of you, and I watched as you welcomed Meghan with open arms as you saw me find the love and happiness that I had hoped for all my life. Finally, the second son of Diana got hitched, hurray!

I also know you’ve come to know me well enough over all these years to trust that the woman I chose as my wife upholds the same values as I do. And she does, and she’s the same woman I fell in love with... The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges.

I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option. We both do everything we can to fly the flag and carry out our roles for this country with pride. Once Meghan and I were married, we were excited, we were hopeful, and we were here to serve. For those reasons, it brings me great sadness that it has come to this.

What I want to make clear is we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you. Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.

I’ve accepted this, knowing that it doesn’t change... how committed I am. But I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life...

When I lost my mum 23 years ago, you took me under your wing. You’ve looked out for me for so long, but the media is a powerful force, and my hope is one day our collective support for each other can be more powerful because this is so much bigger than just us.

It has been our privilege to serve you, and we will continue to lead a life of service. I will always have the utmost respect for my grandmother, my commander in chief, and I am incredibly grateful to her and the rest of my family, for the support they have shown Meghan and I over the last few months.

I will continue to be the same man who holds his country dear and dedicates his life to supporting the causes, charities and military communities that are so important to me. We are taking a leap of faith – thank you for giving me the courage to take this next step.

■ DEFENDING MEGHAN Harry is understood to have been stung at the reaction to his bombshell statement, with the public pointing the finger of blame very firmly in the direction of his wife. The prince is understood to have been keen to protect her and ‘change the narrative’, hence the reference to how this is something he has wrestled with long before he met Meghan. ‘He feels she is unfairly taking the flack,’ said a source.

■ A ROYAL COMPROMISE He cannot resist making clear his hand has been forced. After creating a website behind the backs of his family to launch his and Meghan’s new vision for a royal life, on which he stated his desire to continue representing the Queen while being given the freedom to live abroad and earn his own living, he was firmly slapped down by his grandmother and told this would neither be acceptable nor possible.

■ ‘ DON’T HATE ME!’ Harry spells out both his regret that it has come to this, and his disappointment at being forced to walk away – in particular from his military patronages and official Commonwealth links. In a final plea Harry begs people to be more understanding of his decision and insists he hasn’t changed – but his circumstances have. He knows what he is doing is a risk but asks the public to support him.