A private conversation between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, captured at a solemn royal event in 2018, has been interpreted by lip readers as a pivotal moment in their journey towards 'Megxit'. The analysis suggests the couple may have been planning their dramatic departure from royal life years before their official announcement.
The Cryptic Conversation at Westminster Abbey
The moment in question occurred in November 2018, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a Service of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. The event, marking the Centenary of the Armistice, saw the couple seated among the entire Firm, including the late Queen Elizabeth II. According to the Channel 5 documentary, 'Lip-Reading The Royals: The Secret Conversations', expert Nicola Hickling decoded a brief but telling exchange.
As they waited for the ceremony to begin, Hickling claims Meghan instructed Harry to 'take advantage of the situation'. When Harry reportedly queried, 'Today?', Meghan's alleged response was: 'Do it tonight.' Harry then posed a significant question: 'You do realise that this is the end?' to which Meghan is said to have replied, 'Yeah, I do know.'
Historical Context and Expert Analysis
This conversation took place a mere six months after their Windsor Castle wedding and over a year before they publicly stepped back. Royal historian Dr Tessa Dunlop suggested in the documentary that these comments indicate the couple had been plotting their exit for years before the 2020 announcement.
The timeline adds weight to this theory. Their first child, Prince Archie, was born in May 2019, and they remained working royals for eight months after his birth. It was not until January 2020 that they released their famous Instagram statement, declaring their intention to 'step back' as senior royals and split their time between the UK and North America.
The Sussexes' Own Account of the Planning
Prince Harry has previously acknowledged a long gestation period for their move. In the couple's Netflix series, he admitted they had been planning the shock relocation for 'a minimum of two years'. He revealed that in 2018, they seriously considered moving to New Zealand or South Africa, with the latter plan being advanced until it was leaked to the press.
Harry stated that the subsequent 'public debate' forced them to abandon the South Africa idea, leading to a frantic search for a new home while temporarily based in Canada in early 2020. Their final statement framed the move to California as a way to raise Archie with an appreciation for his royal heritage while giving the family space to forge a new path.
The lip-read analysis offers a tantalising, if contested, glimpse into the private strategising that preceded one of the most seismic royal events in recent decades, suggesting the wheels of 'Megxit' were in motion long before the world knew it.
