Sussex’s decision to leave the royal family may come as a shock to many, initially by Prince Harry and Meghan, but Harry dropped a big hint about it to Dr. Jane Goodall in 2019. The anthropologist shared an exchange with Harry, indicating that he and Meghan were thinking about their exit long before it was announced to the world.
Prince Harry and Meghan announced their plan in January
After an extended break from his royal duties, Prince Harry and Meghan dropped what seemed like a bang. In January, the couple shared their plans to step away from Royal Life on Instagram. Queen Elizabeth worked to finalize the details and set 31 March as the official date when she would leave the royal family, giving her HRH titles, public funds, and the use of the Sussex Royal brand.
Following the Queen’s statement in support of her plan, Prince Harry gave a speech commenting on how she and Meghan felt it was their only option to normal life out of the spotlight.
“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 was no other option,” he said during a dinner for supporters of Sentebale in January.
Prince Harry and Meghan had dropped a hint about their exit months earlier
While their decision seemed surprising, Prince Harry had noted that it was a decision that wasn’t made lightly, and it was believed the couple had been discussing the move for some time before making their announcement.
Dr. Goodall, a friend of the Sussexes who was interviewed by Prince Harry for the Vogue issue that Meghan guest-edited in 2019, had some insider knowledge about the couple’s desire to quit the royal family.
In an interview with the Daily Mail Weekend, Goodall recalled that the couple visited the Frogmore cottage and spent time talking to Harry. After speaking in this magazine, Prince Harry assured that he and Megan could be separated from the life of the king.
“At the end of the conversation, Megan came to listen to Archie,” Goodall recalls. “She was very small and very sleepy – she was not happy that her mother passed away. I think I was one of the first to pass it on to family members. »
Goodall shared a moment with the babies, and Prince Harry seemed to be trying to get back to normal. “I made Archie the queen’s wave, and I thought, ‘She needs to learn this,'” he explained.
“He said ‘No, he’s not growing up like that,'” Goodall said of Harry’s reaction.
Prince Harry and Meghan want to bring up Archie out of the spotlight
The couple’s decision to get their son out of the limelight after enduring such rigorous public and media scrutiny was not surprising, and his statement in January reflected his views on the matter.
At that time, the couple “shared their intention to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our protection.”
He shared in his Instagram post, “This geographical balance will enable us to raise our son with admiration for the royal tradition in which he was born, while giving our family space to focus on the next chapter, Including the launch of our new charitable unit.
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