Harry's Royal Exit ‘Horrified’ a Family Member So Much They Had to Flee Sandringham: ‘He Couldn’t…’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle infamously stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and relocated to California. A new Channel 5 documentary, Royals, reveals the behind-the-scenes drama when the Sussexes dropped the bombshell news on the royal family. Royal expert Andrew Morton claimed that Harry’s decision reportedly left the late Prince Philip so furious and ‘horrified’ that he stormed out of Sandringham, seething with rage.
Before Harry and Markle's public announcement, reports ran rampant about a 'secret summit' during which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step down. As reported by the Scottish Daily Express, Morton said, “Prince Philip is someone who doesn't take fools gladly, and he was horrified that they'd come to a situation where the royal family were deciding whether to split up or not.” Echoing Morton’s claims, royal journalist Emily Andrews spilled, “Philip was so angry he refused to even be there. I was told that he just couldn't bring himself to see his grandson. He thought it was a huge dereliction of duty.”
Indeed, the January 13 ‘Sandringham summit’ was reportedly so fiery that only a few senior royals were privately allowed to hear Harry and Markle. As per People magazine, the Sussexes' shocking decision prompted the late Queen Elizabeth to hold the meeting to determine what was next for the couple before their official exit in March. Shortly after the summit, the Queen issued a statement confirming that the royal family “respects and understands” Markle and Harry's wish to strike out on their own, despite them allegedly wanting otherwise.
Harry was not the only one who had to bear the brunt of his grandfather's fury when the news broke. Royal author Christopher Anderson’s book, Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan, alleged that Philip was 'deeply hurt' and 'spitting blood' after learning about the Sussexes' decision. As per The Mirror, the author claimed Philip had confided in his long-time aide, saying, “It appears as if we were wrong about her [Markle] all along.” According to the aide, he yelled, “This shows a complete lack of respect,” while in conversation with the Queen. The late Duke of Edinburgh allegedly believed that Markle had influenced Harry to step down and move to the US.
After the ‘secret summit, a source told The Sun that Philip’s anger stemmed from seeing his wife upset. They added at the time, “Philip has accused Harry and Meghan of lacking respect, and he is weary of their behavior. They did not spend Christmas with the family, which he and the Queen accepted, and now this. His primary concern is the impact this is having on the Queen.” Just like her husband, the Queen was also reportedly ‘very hurt’ and ‘exhausted’ of dealing with the Sussexes' constant complaints and decision to step down. Ultimately, Harry and Markle chose to settle in Montecito, California, with their two children.
