Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stirred controversy when they announced their move to the United States in 2020, but one insider believes the late Queen would have supported their bold decisions.
Royal author Andrew Morton said Queen Elizabeth, who died in September 2022, would have backed their decision to spend time away from the UK. His belief stems from the fact that during her father's reign, the late Queen lived in Malta for two years with Prince Philip and their young family.
Understanding of the Couple's Decision
Speaking on The Mirror's podcast, Pod Save the King, back in 2022, the author claimed that Queen Elizabeth would have been "understanding" of her grandson and his wife's decision.
When the Duke and Duchess first announced they were moving via social media, it was reported that the late Queen, then-Prince Charles and Prince William were shocked by their decision.
The January 2020 Announcement
Back in January 2020, Harry and Meghan took to their joint Instagram account to share the news of their decision. Alongside a picture of the couple, they wrote, "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."
At the time, the couple said they planned to split their time between the UK and North America while "continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages".
Harry and Meghan's joint statement continued: "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."
The Sandringham Summit and Aftermath
After news of their decision spread, the late Queen called an urgent family meeting - now known as the Sandringham Summit - to discuss the situation surrounding Meghan and Harry. After the meeting had taken place, Queen Elizabeth II issued a rare statement saying: "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family."
Harry's feelings towards his late grandmother's statement have since been released by The Telegraph, with the 41-year-old said to have felt "blindsided" by it.
