The late Prince Philip delivered a characteristically blunt warning to his grandson, Prince Harry, when he handed him the prestigious role of Captain General of the Royal Marines in 2017. According to royal author Robert Jobson, the Duke of Edinburgh told Harry: 'Don't f*** it up.'
The Sandringham Summit: A Family Fracture
That stark instruction would take on a painful new meaning just three years later. In January 2020, a tense 90-minute meeting behind closed doors at Sandringham, known as the Sandringham summit, reshaped the Royal Family forever. The gathering, held under tight security, brought together the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Harry, alongside their senior aides.
At the heart of the crisis was Harry and Meghan Markle's shock decision to step back from royal duties, an announcement they had made publicly without the Queen's prior approval. Meghan, who was in Canada, hoped to join via video call but was kept out by technical difficulties, though she remained in close contact with Harry throughout.
The family wrestled with whether the Sussexes could forge a new, hybrid model granting them financial independence while retaining their HRH status and undertaking some royal work. This idea appealed to Harry, who hoped to split his time between North America and the UK.
The Queen's Decisive Ruling and Lasting Fallout
While the Queen was said to feel deep compassion for her grandson, reflecting on the difficulties faced by her own sister, Princess Margaret, she was unequivocal. The monarchy, she asserted, could not function with 'part-time' royals when there was a 'need for unity and dignity.' Her ruling that Harry would have to give up royal life entirely created immediate and lasting tensions.
The rift between the brothers, Harry and William, widened significantly. Prince Philip was reportedly so angered by a decision he saw as a 'threat to the family's cohesion' that he kept his distance. Author Ingrid Seward noted that the Duke was 'dismayed and deeply upset' and even compared Meghan to Wallis Simpson. A source suggested much of Philip's fury stemmed 'from seeing Her Majesty upset.'
The final deal stripped Harry of his HRH style in official duties, his royal patronages, and his cherished military titles. This included the position of Captain General of the Royal Marines, a role he had held for just three years and two months after taking it over from Prince Philip, who had served for 64 years.
A Clash of Military Commitment and Duty
Harry's move was 'completely alien' to his grandfather, a man who had given up his birth citizenship, a promising naval career, and even his surname to serve the Crown. Philip had joined the Royal Navy in 1939, rising to become one of the youngest first lieutenants by age 21 and seeing action during the Allied invasion of Sicily.
In contrast, Harry, who graduated from Sandhurst in 2006 and served two tours in Afghanistan, ended his active military career in 2015. The loss of his ceremonial military titles means he is now banned from wearing his uniform, a significant personal blow.
The fallout continued long after the summit. Philip's absence from the meeting was telling; Seward claimed he left Sandringham before the others arrived, wanting to 'wash his hands of the whole affair.' The following year, Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey, which included allegations of racism within the family, left the Queen 'deeply upset' by what she considered 'very personal' criticisms.
The story of the handover and the subsequent relinquishment of the Royal Marines title encapsulates the profound personal and institutional rift between Harry and the family he left behind, a chasm defined by contrasting views of duty, commitment, and modern royal life.
