Queen Elizabeth Viewed Prince Harry as a ‘Maverick’ After The Infamous Royal Exit
In the final years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, few moments tested her as deeply as Prince Harry’s decision to step away from royal life. What followed was not only a family rift but also a clash between personal and professional interests, leaving the monarch convinced that a line had been crossed. By the time Harry and Meghan Markle announced their intention to step back as senior royals in early 2020, the Queen was already navigating one of the most delicate balancing acts of her monarchy. Those close to her have long maintained that she cared deeply for Harry, admiring what she saw as his warmth and “fun-loving” nature. But as a sovereign, sentiment could only go so far.
Royal author Robert Jobson has since revealed that Elizabeth viewed Harry as “a maverick who had let her down,” regarding his departure as a personal blow and a squandered opportunity. In his book Catherine: The Biography, Jobson writes that the Queen believed Harry and Markle had the potential to play a meaningful, modern role within the institution. What she could not accept, however, was the manner in which they proposed to leave.
According to Jobson, “the idea of the couple earning millions by cashing in on their royal titles and status was abhorrent to her.” For Elizabeth, the issue was not independence itself, but precedent. As she reportedly made clear, “You were either working for the Firm fully, or not. There was no halfway house.”
That principle shaped the outcome of the now-infamous Sandringham Summit in January 2020. The private meeting — attended by the Queen, then-Prince Charles, Prince William, and Harry — lasted around 90 minutes and sought to resolve what had quickly become a constitutional dilemma. While the Queen did not prevent Harry and Markle from stepping away, she insisted that the consequences be unequivocal.
The couple were required to give up their HRH titles, relinquish royal patronages, abandon the “Sussex Royal” brand, and forgo public funding. Harry also lost his honorary military roles and his position as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, while the pair agreed to repay the £2.4 ($3.2)million spent refurbishing Frogmore Cottage. Buckingham Palace later confirmed the arrangements in a statement.
While Harry had anticipated resistance, the firmness of the response reportedly came as a shock. Jobson claims sources close to the Duke said he felt “shocked” and “hurt,” interpreting the outcome less as a negotiated exit and more as an enforced exile. “He could not believe the entire Royal Family, almost in unison, turned their backs on him,” Jobson wrote, as reported by the Daily Mail.
That emotional fallout later spilled into the public domain. In the Sussexes’ 2022 Netflix documentary, Harry and Meghan, Harry revisited the Sandringham meeting, alleging that Prince William “screamed and shouted” at him during the discussion. He also claimed that his father, then-Prince Charles, made statements he believed to be untrue. Throughout it all, Harry said, Queen Elizabeth II sat quietly, observing the confrontation unfold.