The week that rocked the Crown
BOMBSHELL STATEMENT LIT THE FUSE & FORCED FIRM TO ACT
JUST one week ago a post-Christmas calm had descended on Sandringham House. Most of the family had headed home, Prince Philip was on the mend and the outrage over Prince Andrew’s friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein appeared to be dying down.
So the Queen was looking forward to spending the rest of her Norfolk stay riding, walking her dorgis and enjoying the outdoors. It was business as usual at the heart of The Firm.
But on Wednesday evening, as the Queen was dressing for dinner, another of her grandsons pulled the trigger on a crisis that would rock the institution to its very core. The sovereign and her two heirs, Charles and William, were ambushed by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who announced they wanted to retreat from royal duties.
Unhappy Harry and Meghan had been plotting to escape for more than 10 months and sealed their plan on a week’s break in Canada.
In December, the Queen and Prince Charles urged the pair to hold their fire and submit detailed written proposals before going public.
But the renegade royals defied the 93-year-old monarch by firing off their extraordinary statement announcing they were stepping back from royal duties. The Queen knew instantly the shockwaves from this bombshell would be seismic for The Firm.
For such senior royals to break away from the family, but with the intention to still cash in on their HRH status, was unprecedented.
And she feared the public, on whose devotion the survival of the monarchy relies, would never stand for it.
That statement was the first shot in an extraordinary battle of briefings and counter-briefings with the Sussexes’ advisers pitched against the Palace, the Prince of Wales’ aides and the Cambridges’ camp.
It quickly developed into a war of attrition that revealed the true levels of toxicity between Harry and his once-close brother William.
The Queen was forced to summon an unprecedented family summit to find a way forward for the Sussexes. Opinion polls in the wake of this bombshell reveal young people now see the institution as irrelevant and anachronistic.
Yet the royals they admire and identify with are the former wild-child Army hero and his actress and humanitarian wife. One royal source said: “Harry and Meghan had known for some time that they were not part of the main plans and had to reconcile with that. “When the photo was released of the Queen with Charles, William and George at New Year, they didn’t so much mind the picture, it was the attention that came with it. “They knew where their place was, but couldn’t stop the obvious
optics, that it was proof that they would be very much on the outside of the family…
“Charles had spoken to Meghan personally on several occasions, their relationship was great from the start. He thought she was gutsy, talented and charming – and still does.
“The Queen, William and Charles are deeply hurt about the way the pair behaved, and forced them into this damaging crisis, but they know they cannot lose them.”
The tension in the air before Monday’s Long Library summit at Sandringham proved everyone there understood its historic significance.
But what about the Duchess of Sussex, 4000 miles away in Canada?
She must have understood this was a watershed moment for the British monarchy and not just a matter for her and her husband. Because, while it may be just 20 months since she joined The Firm, Meghan has had plenty of time to learn how it operates.
Harry would have left her in no doubt the steps they were taking were set to cause royal ructions.
We know now that the seeds of this crisis were sewn within months of the couple’s wedding in 2018. Meghan faced scrutiny of the way she cut ties with her father, alleged tensions with staff members and her lavish baby-shower in New York.
Harry was accused of eco-hypocrisy after urging us to help save the planet, while jetting off on private planes.
But, scarred by his mother’s death and desperate to protect his wife, he felt Meghan was being bullied and vilified – and subject to racism.
The pair became so blinded by their dissatisfaction and sense of victimisation, they seemingly failed to consider the hurt this would cause Harry’s loving grandmother.
They secretly set up a rival website – Sussex Royal – and began trademarking more than 100 items.
They reportedly started investigating megabucks endorsement deals, said to be helped by their billionaire pal Oprah Winfrey.
A video has emerged of Harry touting for business with the Disney CEO Bob Iger at a film premiere by offering Meghan’s services as a voiceover artist.
That deal has apparently already been sealed, with one of the Sussexes’ animal charities profiting. Experts predict Brand Sussex – the ultimate celebrity couple – could make half a billion pounds in just one year.
But the couple’s unhappiness only became publicly apparent during a tour of South Africa in October.
Meghan told ITV’s Tom Bradby she was “not really OK” and it was not enough “just to survive” – while Harry seemed to confirm a rift with his brother. In November, the Sussexes set off on their six-month sabbatical in Canada with baby Archie.
Then, last month, Harry told his father some of his plans, prompting calls for detailed proposals to put before the Queen.
Harry arranged to see his gran on his return to the UK. But when he and
Megan flew home on Monday, he learned she was “not available after all” and was told to wait and discuss matters with Charles.
On Wednesday came reports that Harry and Meghan were looking to move to Canada “for a significant portion of the year”.
So Harry decided to defy his gran and issue the bombshell statement. Then all hell broke loose.
But the Queen knew she had to act swiftly and called a family summit.
And, reluctantly, she gave in to Harry and Meghan’s demands because it was the only way to save The Firm.
The complex details have still to be worked out.
But, after a week of anguish, a kind of calm has now descended on Sandringham once again.
The Queen, William and Charles are deeply hurt about their behaviour
ROYAL SOURCE ON REACTION FROM FAMILY