When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to London from a six-week break in Canada in early January 2020, the stage was set for a royal crisis few anticipated. Their first official engagement at the Canadian High Commission on January 7 saw a distracted Prince Harry, privately wrestling with a decision that would fracture the monarchy.
The Bombshell Proposal and a Premature Announcement
According to royal author Robert Jobson, Harry had just informed his father, then-Prince Charles, of a desire to redefine their royal roles. The prince pitched a 'new semi-detached set up', where he and Meghan could earn their own money while retaining their HRH titles. This plan for a part-time working model was a direct challenge to the institution's centuries-old foundations.
The situation escalated rapidly. The following day, speculation swirled about the couple reconsidering their place 'in The Firm'. By that afternoon, January 8, 2020, a statement on their @sussexroyal Instagram account confirmed they would 'step back' as senior royals and split time between the UK and North America. Crucially, Jobson claims this announcement was made without Queen Elizabeth II's approval, forcing the late monarch into damage control.
The Fateful Sandringham Summit
Five days later, on January 13, 2020, a historic meeting was convened at the royal estate in Norfolk. Dubbed the 'Sandringham Summit' by the media, it saw the Queen gather the then-Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry for what Jobson describes as a highly 'emotional' 90-minute discussion in the Long Library.
Meghan, pregnant with Archie and in Canada, was set to join via video call but was reportedly thwarted by 'technical issues'. The atmosphere was charged. The late Prince Philip, once Harry's mentor, was allegedly so angered he refused to attend. Prince William arrived 'composed but distant', still seething over his brother's actions.
While the intimate details remain secret, the Queen's position was unequivocal. Despite sympathy for her grandson, she was reportedly 'unimpressed' with the idea of them 'cashing in on their royal status'. Her message was clear: 'no halfway role was possible. They were either in or out.'
The Hard Terms and Lasting Fallout
The summit's outcome was a stark lesson for the Sussexes. Any hope of a 'half-in, half-out' deal was destroyed. On January 19, a Palace statement confirmed they would be stripped of their HRH titles for personal and commercial use. Harry lost his military appointments and role as Commonwealth youth ambassador.
Financially, they agreed to forgo all Sovereign Grant funding and repay £2.4 million of taxpayer money used to renovate Frogmore Cottage. Meghan's Duchess title became merely 'symbolic'. In a personal statement, the Queen expressed sadness but respect for their wish for an 'independent life'.
The summit, however, marked the tragic breakdown of family trust. In subsequent years, Harry claimed he was 'terrified' by William's 'screaming and shouting', accused Charles of lying, and said the meeting felt 'fixed'. Meghan expressed outrage at her exclusion from discussions about her family's future.
Robert Jobson termed the Sandringham Summit a 'defining moment' for the modern monarchy. It underscored the institution's rigid boundaries and the profound personal cost of stepping away, setting the Sussexes on a new, independent path entirely separate from 'The Firm'.
