The British monarchy fell into a crisis when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry revealed that they were planning to resign as “senior” royals in early 2020. There were rumors that the people in charge had to deal with a lot of changes because of this. Prince William has finally spoken up about his younger brother’s departure. It was heartbreaking, to say the least.
Here Is What Prince William Really Felt When Prince Harry Chose To Step Down
Shocking Announcement
The whole world must now be aware that Harry and Meghan have decided to become more self-sufficient by letting go of royal duties. The shocking announcement was made on their Instagram page on January 8. The post said, “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.”
Shocking Announcement
Stepping Back
The statement went on, “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement – particularly over the last few years – that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”
Stepping Back
Dividing Their Time
The couple also said that they planned to split their time between the UK and North America. Their message went into more detail about their decision. It read, “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter – including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
Dividing Their Time
The Next Step
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex ended the message by sharing, “We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”
The Next Step
No Consultation
It was, of course, big news. The media was hasty to dig more into the matter and released more shocking claims. Jonny Dymond, a BBC royal correspondent, took to Twitter to say, “BBC understands that no other member of the royal family was consulted before Harry and Meghan issued their personal statement tonight. The Palace is understood to be ‘disappointed.’”
No Consultation
Short And Snippy
This truly might have been the case. Buckingham Palace then followed it up with an official statement. One might say that it sounded a bit snippy. It was short and straight to the point. The message read, “Discussion with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand the desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”
Short And Snippy
Brotherly Concern
But what did Prince William have to say about it? He and his younger brother seemed very close in the past, especially after the death of their mom. As a matter of fact, it was actually the older sibling who told Prince Harry to get therapy when his younger brother was struggling with mental health issues.
Brotherly Concern
Brotherly Feud
However, there were issues that there was brotherly beef before the huge announcement was made. In June 2019, a royal family expert by the name of Katie Nicholl shared this with Entertainment Tonight: “It’s absolutely the case that the brothers did fall out. I was told by a very senior royal source that actually they weren’t talking to each other at one point.”
Brotherly Feud
A Confirmation
On the same day that the announcement was made, an unnamed source allegedly confirmed the feud with US Weekly. This person explained, “William was blindsided by Harry and Meghan’s decision and statement… There’s still a rift between the two brothers. It’s sad because when they were younger, William would be the first person Harry would go to with big news like this.”
A Confirmation
Not The Only One
However, reports said that he was not the only person who was left in shock by the news. The Daily Mail, against whom the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took legal action in October 2019, talked to a royal aide who reported, “The level of deceit has been staggering, and everyone from the top of the royal household to the bottom feels like they have been stabbed in the back.”
Not The Only One
Inconsiderate
Another insider shared this with The Sun: “There is fury over how [Meghan and Harry have] done this without any thought for the implications for the institution. The Queen is deeply upset. The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge are incandescent with rage… There are so many unanswered questions, but they’ve just up and done it without a thought for anyone else.”
Inconsiderate
Before Kate’s Birthday
The announcement also happened only hours before the birthday of Kate Middleton. As you can imagine, this only made things worse. The Duchess of Cambridge posted on Instagram to commemorate her birthday. The account run by Harry and Megan left this comment on it: “Wishing a very happy birthday to The Duchess of Cambridge today!” However, things were not that cordial offline.
Before Kate’s Birthday
Bad Timing
There was one more source that had something to say about the matter. They told US Weekly, “Harry and Meghan rubbed salt into the wounds by making the huge announcement a day before Kate’s birthday. It hasn’t gone down well with William.” It looked like there was a slim chance of a reconciliation between Harry and William in the near future.
Bad Timing
To Their Defense
There were folks who came to Harry and Meghan’s defense. On January 10, Tom Bradby shared with ITV News that the royal family was going through some “really bad personal splits.” He also said, “There’ve been a lot of fallouts. A lot of harsh things were said around the time of [Harry and Meghan’s] wedding.”
To Their Defense
Finding Them Difficult
This TV reporter also said, “And certainly the rest of the family find Harry and Meghan very difficult. [But] from Harry and Meghan’s point of view, they’re just being driven out, as they see it. And it’s sad.” However, Bradby did not say if William was part of “the rest of the family” in that statement.
Finding Them Difficult
Where She Was
On the same day, there were reports saying that Meghan left Britain to go to Canada. Archie was already there in North America. The Duchess of Sussex was meant to get back to the United Kingdom in a matter of days. However, the public did not wait for this to happen before more speculation was up in the air.
Where She Was
Defending Harry
At the same time, Harry’s pal JJ Chalmers made an argument for their decision on British DV. When he was on The One Show, he defended his friend by saying, “The decision that he has made… At the forefront of that is to protect his family, because… the number one rule is to be a father and to be a husband. Any husband wants to protect their wife, and any father wants to protect their children.”
Defending Harry
The Media
Chalmers then went on to imply that the press was partly to blame for their decision to move to Canada instead. This was how he said it: “When [Harry] looks at how the media, for example, reacts and how social media talks about someone, he has to answer to his son one day when he begins to understand this and be able to look him in the face and say, ‘I made the right decision, and I did right by you.’ And ultimately, he grew up in the limelight, and he knows how this can end if it’s not handled correctly.”
The Media
Harry And The Press
Truly, Harry has had a rather complicated relationship with the press over the years. He has not been afraid to hit them back either. Do you want an example? After he and Meghan first started going out in 2016, he made history by releasing a statement that was critical of the way the press treated his girlfriend. Harry said that Meghan had “been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment.”
Harry And The Press
Meghan And The Press
It also seemed that Meghan herself was having trouble dealing with the British media. In October 2019, Tom Bradby released a documentary called Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, she was shown saying, “When people are saying things that are just untrue – they’ve been told they’re untrue but they’re still allowed to say them… I don’t know anyone in the world that would feel like that’s okay.”
Meghan And The Press
Harry’s Confirmation
The documentary also showed a scene in which Harry confirmed that he and William had a falling out. He went on to say, “Part of this role and part of this job, this family, being under the pressure that it’s under – inevitably stuff happens. But look: we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers.”
Harry’s Confirmation
Always Brothers
Harry continued, “[William and I are] certainly on different paths at the moment, but I’ll always be there for him. And as I know, he’ll always be there for me. We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy, but I love him dearly. The majority of this stuff [in the press] is created out of nothing. But as brothers, you know, you have good days [and] you have bad days.”
Always Brothers
Their Relationship
Did January 8 prove to be a good or a bad day for the relationship between the princes? Even though the public was initially left to speculate about that, they were able to get an answer on January 12. That was the day that The Sunday Times released what it said were candid words from William himself.
Their Relationship
Separate Entities
The newspaper said that William talked to an unnamed friend in private about what people were calling “Megxit.” Despite saying this in confidence, his words made it into print. The prince apparently said, “I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives, and I can’t do that anymore; we’re separate entities.”
Separate Entities
The Future
Even so, William apparently expressed some hope that things would all work out in the future. He allegedly shared, “All we can do – and all I can do – is try and support [Harry and Meghan] and hope that the time comes when we’re all singing from the same page. I want everyone to play on the team.”
The Future
A Summit
The same day that this made it into print, there was a report that Queen Elizabeth set up a summit to talk about the situation. The meeting was going to include Her Majesty, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry. Meghan, meanwhile, was in Canada. Many thought she would be present online.
A Summit
Changes
About this summit, one source informed People magazine, “Following a series of meetings and consultations across the last few days, there is a range of possibilities for the family to review which take into account the thinking the Sussexes outlined earlier in the week. As we have said previously, making a change to the working life and role of the monarchy for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex requires complex and thoughtful discussions.”
Changes
What Next?
The insider then said, “Next steps will be agreed at the meeting. The request for this to be resolved ‘at pace’ is still Her Majesty’s wish. The aim remains days, not weeks. There is genuine agreement and understanding that any decision will take time to be implemented.” It sounded quite promising.
What Next?
Joint Statement
Shortly after this revelation came out, the brothers shocked everyone with a joint statement. The message was about a piece of reporting, which both princes seem to have taken offense to, in a certain newspaper. It read, “Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a U.K. newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge.”
Joint Statement
A United Front
The statement continued, “For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.” Even though there was clearly turmoil in the royal family, the brothers were clearly determined to present a united front.
A United Front
Deeply Unhappy
A royal correspondent called Rebecca English took to Twitter in an effort to shed more light here. She posted, “It’s clear from my conversations this morning that BOTH brothers are deeply, deeply unhappy about suggestions that Harry feels he has been ‘bullied’ out of the royal family by William.”
Deeply Unhappy
Brighter Future
It looked like a brighter future lay ahead. On January 18, the Palace issued a statement from Queen Elizabeth that suggested that the feud had been resolved. It started, “Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.”
Brighter Future
New Life
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of the family. I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life… It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life,” the official announcement read.
New Life
Next Chapter
What decisions could the royal family have arrived at? Another statement from Buckingham Palace shed more light on these matters. It said, “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the royal family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments. They will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.”
Next Chapter
Royal Blessing
The message also said, “With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.”
Royal Blessing
Much Consideration
On January 19, Prince Harry also spoke out during an event for the charity he helped launch. At the Sentebale event, he confessed, “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. And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option.”
Much Consideration
Respect
He also said, “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.”
Respect
Made Up
That was that. On January 20, there was a report by the Sun that claimed that Harry and William finally made up behind the scenes. A “senior royal source” even said that they “spent time together privately away from the official Sandringham summit, working on their relationship and discussing their future.”
Made Up
Family Warmth
The insider said, “Given Harry is now permanently moving away, there was a realization [that] if [he and William] didn’t sort things out now, they never would. Of course, there have been serious differences in opinions, but the family warmth is back.” We hope that this new direction is going to be good for them!
Family Warmth
Sticking Together
Harry and William must stick together because the monarchy is going to have to face a new challenge in the near future. Even though the Queen appears to be intent on holding onto her position for the time being, there are rumors going around that she might step down. Some even say she might be ousted! Could there be any truth to this? Royal officials have given their two cents on this matter, and they are certainly more authoritative on this issue than random gossipmongers.
Sticking Together
The Queen
It is not surprising to hear questions about how much longer the Queen is going to be on the throne. After all, she has been the reigning monarch for nearly 68 years now. She also happens to be 93 years old. Prince Charles has allegedly been taking on more roles as well. Despite this, Queen Elizabeth persists. Recently, there has been some news that shed light on what the future holds.
The Queen
Shadow King
People have been calling Prince Charles a “shadow king.” He is next in line for the throne and many say he will step in when the Queen turns 95, which will be in April 2021. In history, it is not all that often that a ruler steps aside to let the regent assume control. However, this does not mean that it is impossible.
Shadow King
Prince Regent
If Charles becomes the Prince Regent, this would not mean that Queen Elizabeth would no longer be the top person in the United Kingdom. She would keep her position as the head of the country and retain the Queen title. However, Charles would then take over her duties and pretty much rule the monarch.
Prince Regent
British Public
It seems that British people are not big fans of this theory. In June 2019, a poll revealed that almost half of the public would like Charles to abdicate as soon as he is crowned. This would, in turn, make William the king. At any rate, it does not seem likely that Charles would follow what the public wanted.
British Public
The Appointment
But could he really simply assume the duties of a king and let his mother go into retirement? It is not all that straightforward. You see, there are certain people who need to agree to this plan before a regent is appointed. According to the law, this cannot happen unless they come to an agreement.
The Appointment
The Group
At least 3 in a group of 5 must agree that she is no longer fit to rule. The first one is her spouse. Next would be the Lord Chancellor, a position that is largely ceremonial. The House of Commons speaker is also in the group. This position might not be as powerful as America’s speaker, but it is still important in the British Parliament. The Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls complete the group.
The Group
Incapacity
In 2016, Sally Bedell Smith, a U.S. biographer, shared this with USA Today: “The evidence of physicians is required to make the judgment of incapacity. In other words, there is a set procedure, and it is something that wouldn’t be invoked lightly. It’s a big deal.” This has actually happened in the past!
Incapacity
Unfit
In 19811, the King was thought to be an unfit ruler and stepped aside. George III might have been a popular king, but he was suffering from severe illness. Even though he was feeling well enough to agree to the regency, he went completely crazy and failed to recover by the end of the year. His son and Prince Regent went on to reign in his place until his father died in 1820. The younger man is King George IV.
Unfit
Regency
The idea of regency was brought up earlier in the reign of George III. In 1788, he was suffering from a spell of insanity that made him unable to give the speech for the opening of the parliament. This led to a crisis and paralyzed the United Kingdom’s government. Politicians then agreed that they needed a regent, although the King was able to recover before they could pass the necessary legislation.
Regency
Other Reasons
Prior to 1788, regents occasionally ruled the United Kingdom and England prior to the establishment of the UK. However, this had never happened because of an incapacitated monarch. In 1714 for one, the Lord Chief Justice ruled as the nation waited for George I to take the throne. It is more common for regents to serve during the war when the king was either absent or simply a minor.
Other Reasons
The Regency Act
The Regency Act was passed in 1937. It happened because King George VI was not feeling well. There had been a very real possibility that Elizabeth was going to have to serve as the regent in his place. This was how they outlined the process of choosing a regent. It is interesting to hear that it was not a measure to be taken very strictly if the monarch is sick or old. For one thing, a temporary regent was going to be appointed if the leader thought that they could not approve legislation in good conscience.
The Regency Act
Abdication
In the past, there has been a British monarch who gave up the throne altogether as well. It is not common at all, however. Edward VIII was the only king who abdicated of his own will. In 1936, he made the decision due to the opposition to his union with an American divorcee called Wallis Simpson.
Abdication
Other Abdications
Rulers before him abdicated with, let us say, some persuasion. Richard II abdicated when Henry Bolingbroke, his cousin, stole power in his absence. In 1688, James II ran away from England during the revolution. At the time, it was not certain if he abdicated or forfeited. They only knew that he was out.
Other Abdications
Other Countries
Abdication is more common in other countries. In Japan, there are more emperors who abdicated than died in office. Empresses often surrendered the throne if a more suitable man was present. Fairly recently, King Juan Carlos of Spain chose to give up his position for Felipe. His son was crowned in 2014.
Other Countries
Old Age
It is something of a norm in the Netherlands as well. Three queens have consequently abdicated for their heirs! In other countries, monarchs resigned because of old age. In the past century, places like Bhutan, Belgium, and Qatar have changed sovereigns for this reason.
Old Age
Execution
There are other ways a monarch could leave his post in England. Charles I stopped being the king when the Parliamentarians executed him. They defeated the royalist forces during the English Civil War and took his head. He was executed on the accusation of being a tyrant.
Execution
Lady Jane Grey
Charles I was not the sole monarch to die by execution. There was also Lady Jane Grey, known as the “Nine Days’ Queen.” She reigned for only 9 days before she was overthrown by her cousin Mary. She was executed within a year. Ouch.
Lady Jane Grey
Battlefield Deaths
Other kings died on the battlefield. In 1485, Richard III died fighting to keep the throne. Richard I got struck down by an arrow during a siege. William I, meanwhile, suffered a fatal fall from his horse. There was also King Harold, who fell after getting an arrow in the eye during the Battle of Hastings.
Battlefield Deaths
Retirement
The Queen will probably not die on the battlefield, but she might retire. People started to speculate about this more when Prince Philip retired. Queen Elizabeth apparently supported him on this. Sir Michael Atiyah once told him, “I’m sorry to hear you’re standing down,” Philip had a ready quip. He said, “Well, I can’t stand up much longer.” Philip readily replied, “Well, I can’t stand up much longer.”
Retirement
Prince Philip
One of Prince Philip’s assistants had been quick to point out that his health was not the issue: “The Duke decided this is the right time. He’s nearly 96, and most people will have retired 30 years earlier.” In August 2017, he decided to say goodbye to his public duties and stop joining Queen Elizabeth on hers.
Prince Philip
Over The Years
He had definitely put in a lot of work over the years. He appeared over 22,000 times in public by himself. He represented the United Kingdom overseas over 600 times and gave over 5,000 speeches. Even though his health had been pretty good in general, he did suffer a number of medical issues over the years.
Over The Years
Prince Andrew
He is not the only British royal family member to let go of his duties as of late. Prince Andrew, his second son, also gave up his royal duties. This happened in the wake of revelations about his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted pedophile. Prince Andrew had yet to explain the situation properly.
Prince Andrew
Poor Choices
Victoria Arbiter, a royal watcher, took to Twitter in November 2019. In reference to his retirement, she said, “Prince Andrew is ‘stepping down’ in response to a wave of self-induced scandal and poor choices. But it’s extraordinary to think he’s effectively retiring from royal life 37 years before his father did.”
Poor Choices
Fired?
Even though Andrew said that he asked for the Queen’s approval, the tabloids said that he got sacked. Other royals, particularly Prince William and Prince Charles, wanted this. At last, even Prince Philip allegedly weighed in by saying that his son retired to “save the monarchy.”
Fired?
The Monarchy
Truly, there was some rather spicy commentary on the crisis. A writer for the Guardian even said, “Andrew wasn’t just a bad apple. He comes from a royal orchard of them. It’s time Britain matured as a republic.” This appeared in an article with the title, “Let’s get off our knees and abolish the monarchy.”
The Monarchy
Letting Go
In 2020, there was another prince who gave up his full-time royal position. This was the time when Harry and Megan made the announcement that would trigger the event that has become known as “Megxit.” The couple withdrew from their royal work and decided to live in Canada instead.
Letting Go
More Questions
After Queen Elizabeth spoke to the couple, she released a statement that gave more questions than answers. She did not use royal titles to refer to Harry and Megan, which made people think that they would lose the titles. This also took place when there were rumors of a feud with William.
More Questions
Possible Retirement
It is truly possible that the scandals have made Queen Elizabeth consider retirement. To be fair, she is no longer young. We are sure that it is stressful to cope with all the royal duties as well. However, her own mom Elizabeth continued to make public appearances until shortly before her passing at the age of 101.
Possible Retirement
Lighter Crown
There were more whispers when the Queen opted to wear a lighter-than-typical crown upon the opening of the parliament in 2019. Insiders said that she was not feeling well. The rumors peaked when it was suggested that she is suffering from bladder cancer but not well enough for treatment.
Lighter Crown
Nothing Serious
A royal watcher told Daily Express that it did not seem like the Queen was suffering anything more serious than a regular cold. Maybe she was simply making concessions to age by not wearing her Imperial State Crown. To be fair, it is a pretty heavy piece with all its jewels.
Nothing Serious
Health Issues
The Queen has not made it to her 90s without suffering health problems here and there. In 2003, she got minor knee surgery, which kept her out of the spotlight for a couple of weeks. In 2018, she got cataract surgery as well. She went back to business without skipping a single day when that happened!
Health Issues
No Plans
By the end of 2019, there were still rumors going around that she was going to make Charles her regent. However, his representatives later made a statement that talked about what the future had for the royals. It read, “There are no plans for any change in arrangements at the age of 95 – or any other age.”
No Plans
Adamant
The Queen, as a matter of fact, has always been adamant that she will not give up the throne. It seems that her plans do not have anything to do with retirement. The reason behind this is that she is a strong believer in doing her duty.
Adamant
No Abdication
Sarah Bradford, a royal biographer and expert, told The Daily Telegraph that it won’t happen. She claimed, “She won’t abdicate. That’s not what she does, or what the British monarchy does. There’s no tradition of abdication here – it goes against the informal rules of our constitutional set-up.”
No Abdication
A Pledge
Bedell Smith is of the same sentiment. She told USA Today that the abdication talks have been going around for years now. However, she explained that Queen Elizabeth made a pledge at the age of 21. Her promise has allegedly been renewed on several occasions since then!
A Pledge
Her 21st Birthday
During her 21st birthday, Elizabeth was in South Africa. She made a speech that was broadcasted all over the world. She announced, “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
Her 21st Birthday
To The End
Bedell Smith also said something that Margaret Rhodes, Elizabeth’s cousin, said during the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2003: “The Queen sighed and said, ‘Oh, that’s something I can’t do. I am going to carry on to the end.’”
To The End
Sympathy
Sarah Bradford does sympathize with Prince Charles. She explained, “I do feel sorry for the Prince of Wales, waiting and waiting, while his mother looks better and better. She’s not staying on because of any concern about his abilities as a king. The Queen simply feels she must do her duty, and she’s never even contemplated abdication.”
Sympathy
Edward VIII
Maybe Queen Elizabeth has strong feelings about abdication because her life was turned upside down when Edward VIII abdicated in 1936. She was only his niece back then and had probably never thought she would be the monarch. Her mom also said that taking over the throne led her father George VI to his early grave.
Edward VIII
Here To Stay
In the end, the Queen plans to stay in the job because the British public approves of her. Nothing will make her give it up, it seems. In the end, it would seem like the Queen plans to hold onto her job and duties until the day she dies. She clearly plans to honor the pledge she made all those decades ago!
Here To Stay