Why William and Kate Felt ‘Relieved’ When Harry and Meghan Stepped Back from Royal Life

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced in early 2020 that they were stepping away from royal duties, the news shocked the world. The ‘Fab-Four’ had come undone. Publicly, Prince William and Kate Middleton maintained their usual composure, but privately, as it turns out, there may have been more relief than regret.

According to royal author Tina Brown, William and Middleton were quietly thankful for the calm that followed Harry and Markle’s exit. In her book, Palace Papers, Brown writes that the couple were ‘shocked’ by reports of Markle’s alleged behavior toward Palace staff. One incident in particular, during the planning of Harry and Markle's wedding, was simply unacceptable for the Waleses. 

As Brown recounts, tensions flared when Markle reportedly "yelled at a junior employee" who had delayed an announcement that conflicted with another senior royal’s schedule. While the exchange didn’t qualify as outright bullying, Palace aides reportedly found it deeply unsettling. “They had certainly never heard of a member of the royal family talking like that to a member of staff,” Brown said.

The episode reportedly left William and Middleton disturbed. Both are known for treating their team as a ‘collegial professional family’ and the idea of one of their own upsetting that harmony was, as Brown puts it, ‘jarring.’ Harry is said to have spoken to Markle afterward, and she apologized, though the author writes that “contrition became increasingly rare,” as the couple’s relationship with Palace staff grew strained over time. Within the walls of Kensington Palace, whispers allegedly began to spread.

Markle’s exacting work style, which some called efficient and some abrasive, earned her the unflattering nickname 'Duchess Difficult.' Reports emerged of 5 a.m. emails, high-pressure deadlines, and staff members reduced to tears. “I can’t stop shaking,” an aide allegedly told a colleague before a meeting with her, according to The Times. Another described feeling 'personally humiliated' by the Duchess’s tone.

Royal correspondent Valentine Low, who first reported the allegations in 2021, described a growing atmosphere of fear among staff, several of whom left their roles after only months of service. Since the Sussexes’ move to California, reports suggest their staff turnover remains unusually high, with more than two dozen employees leaving since 2020. Markle has consistently denied the bullying accusations, calling them an 'orchestrated smear campaign' intended to discredit her. Her team has also dismissed the claims as “misleading and harmful misinformation,” arguing that the Palace used the narrative to deflect from larger internal tensions.

Brown writes that the pre-wedding blow-up, combined with other staff clashes, left William and Middleton uneasy and quietly thankful when the Sussexes decided to step back from royal duties. What looked like a family rupture to the world may have felt, to them, like a much-needed release of pressure.

According to The Times, tensions had already begun brewing soon after Harry and Markle’s engagement in late 2017. A senior Palace aide had reportedly cautioned the couple that mistreating staff could spark serious internal issues. Markle’s alleged response was  unapologetic; she said,  “It’s not my job to coddle people.”