Casting off:

Harry & Meghan

The drama surrounding ‘Megxit’ could have been avoided, it’s been claimed, as multiple sources reveal that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were offered the freedom to live without royal titles before their star-studded wedding.

Speaking to The Sun, the paper that broke the story about Harry and Meghan wanting to step back from their roles as senior royals, insiders say the Queen was always happy for the couple to continue without the expectation of duty.

“From the early days, the Queen really wanted to agree a smooth transition for Meghan,” one of the sources says. “The offer would have allowed her to carry on her career, but she was happy to stop acting to become a working member of the royal family. Royal officials were frustrated that she and Harry appear to say they were pressured into quitting.”

There are also concerns over the pair’s new North American life, as they no longer have protections of their royal status when it comes to the press. The couple previously enjoyed somewhat of a gentleman’s agreement in the UK, where no photos of them or son Archie (9 months) in private would be published without permission. There are no such safeguards in Canada.

“The palace is very worried about the Sussexes because they are vulnerable outside the embrace of the family,” says an insider. “They are making contingency plans in case they suddenly turn around and say, ‘Can we come back under your wing?’”