Prince Harry Wanted to Leave Royal Family

Early this 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they were leaving the royal family. A lot of people criticized Meghan Markle for it, but the choice might have been Harry’s. Since his days in the military and his experience after the death of Princess Diana, Harry has wanted a big change. But what was the catalyst for the decision now? Let’s find out!

LEAVING THE ROYAL FAMILY

In March 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they would take a step back from the royal family. They had just returned to the UK after a vacation in North America. The couple would no longer take part in the duties of senior royal family members. There are many reasons that explain the decision, and it’s not all about Meghan Markle. 

THE ISSUE OF PRIVACY

Prince Harry has been part of the public light since his birth, but he never enjoyed the attention. He always wanted to be just a normal citizen. When his son Archie was born, he was not given a royal title, and it seemed like the Duke of Sussex did not want him to grow up as he did. It might have been the first indication that they were ready to change their lives forever.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

They posted their official statement on their official Instagram account. Part of it reads: “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.” It ended with: “We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties.”

FIRST INDICATIONS

While the news was a complete surprise to most people, royal insiders might have known it was going to happen. The public blamed Meghan Markle immediately, but the truth is that Prince Harry had been toying with this idea since the tragic passing of his mother, Princess Diana. He was just a boy at the time, and the fanfare was not welcomed.

THE STRUGGLE

Prince Harry had arguably the hardest time after his mother’s death. Even in his 20s, he struggled and rebelled against the pressures of royal life, causing several scandals along the way. Luckily, the prince grew up and met Meghan, who was completely foreign to the family. She gave him a glimpse into a different kind of life.

HIS ARMY EXPERIENCE HELPED MAKE THE DECISION

Aside from the constant public attention, there’s another reason why Prince Harry came to this decision. During his time in the army, he got to experience a somewhat normal life. His background and his name did not matter among the ranks of men serving in the military. He served as an active member for more than a decade.

COMPLETELY HIS CHOICE

Despite all the stories blaming the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry made this choice. He talked about the decision during a speech. "The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one made lightly," Harry explained. "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 really was no other option."

THE CRITICS OF MEGHAN MARKLE

Despite his assurances, people are still quick to blame Meghan Markle, who was the outsider. In 2017, Prince Harry gave an interview, where the royal explained that he once wanted to leave the family. At the time, he had started seeing the former actress. However, others believed that his time in Afghanistan was the real contributing factor to that comment at the time.

MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE ARMY

During an interview in 2013, the Duke of Sussex was asked about his experience in the military. It seems like he was always more comfortable with his role as Captain Wales than HRH Prince Harry. He also mentioned that Prince Charles tried to remind him of his duties when it looked like he had forgotten. Additionally, the prince mentioned that he loved helicopters because no one could follow him up there.

PROTECTING HIS FAMILY

Ultimately, Prince Harry did not want his family to go through the same things his mother did. After that event, he had to grow up seeing reporters and photographers trying to sneak into Kensington Palace. Therefore, the Duke of Sussex had to make the best decision for his family. While the Cambridges are the direct line to the throne and get all the press, The Sussexes wouldn’t have been spared from the attention either.

TROUBLE WITH THE PAPARAZZI

They had already experienced some unfortunate encounters with reports. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had to move from Cotswolds when a photographer tried to get pictures of their private home on a helicopter. It brought back too many memories of what had happened to the late Princess of Wales, who had to take legal action against an outlet in the early 90s. 

THE STRESS PRINCESS DIANA EXPERIENCED

Princes William and Harry participated in a BBC One documentary about their mother. Prince Harry said, "I believe she cried more to do with the press intrusion than anything else in her life. The impact it was having on her that we would then see and feel was very difficult to understand." As young boys, they couldn’t comprehend, but as men with families of their own, it was startlingly clear.

AFRAID OF CAMERAS

At some point, it seemed like Prince Harry became stressed whenever the press and photographers were nearby. During another interview for an ITV documentary, the Duke of Sussex explained that the flash of cameras made him stand straight. It’s clearly something that has bothered him mentally for many years, but there was nothing he could do.

LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE PRESS

The couple has been the source of press attention since their engagement in 2017. In 2019, the Sussexes announced that they would take action against a British tabloid. The outlet published a private letter that Meghan sent her father. "Though this action may not be the safe one, it is the right one, because my deepest fear is history repeating itself," Harry explained.

NEW LIFE AS NON-ROYALS

As non-royals, the couple also announced that they won’t be part of the royal rota, which is a system that permits the press to attend and write about important events for members of the family. It’s time for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move on with their new life, and people have to respect their choice as well as their privacy.

It might be surprising, but it’s important to respect the couple’s decision without judgment. Let us know what you think about the paparazzi’s actions with public figures. If you liked this article, share it with your friends that have supported Prince Harry and Meghan since the beginning. See you next time!