By Matt Wilkinson
THROUGHOUT her reign and ministry, the Queen’s role was that of head of state, while the Duke of Edinburgh remained head of the family.
But when Prince Harry and Meghan revealed on Instagram that they were stepping down from royal duties to live in America, it was a crisis that required the Queen to be both.
At a hastily convened summit at Sandringham in January 2020, her decision was swift and final; The Sussexes may be leaving the family business, but they don’t have the trappings that come with royal status.
The checked-out couple were told there was no such thing as a “half-in, half-out” role and that they couldn’t have their cake and eat it too as they were wished the best of luck in their new lives.
In her statement, the Queen thanked them for their “dedicated” work, saying she was “particularly proud of Meghan”.
She added: “My whole family hopes that today’s agreement will allow them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”
This new beginning was anything but peaceful for the queen. Because even though the couple left royal service, they stayed in the family.
As one palace insider said: “They may no longer be working royals, but they are not in exile.”
Abandoning royal life and serving the crown and state was never a consideration or choice for the queen. She was catapulted into the inheritance when her uncle Edward VIII left royal service to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson in 1936.
The influence of her father scarred the queen’s early years, but she rose to devote herself to a life of service.
So in her mid-90s – forced into isolation at Windsor Castle as Covid-19 raged – the Queen was asked to step up and tackle this transatlantic family crisis, again and again and again.
Throughout the pandemic, there has been an overwhelming national feeling that Harry and Meghan would be best served in the UK if they supported the royal family, rather than firing increasingly bitter attacks from across the pond.
When it came to the one-year review, the Queen acted as both head of state and head of family when the couple said they would not be returning.
Meghan has been stripped of her patronage. Harry was officially stripped of his honorary military titles.
They were sacked as chairman and vice-chairman of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust after arguing that the former Empire “must right the wrongs” of the past.
In her latest statement to Megxit, the Queen explained: “Following discussions with the Duke, the Queen has written to confirm that by stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with public life. service.
“While we are all saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family.”
The Duke of Sussex responded to the final Megxit deal – struck with Prince Philip in hospital – with an inflammatory retort.
Their spokesman said: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they represent regardless of their official role.
“We can all live by serving life. The service is universal.”
Harry launched the audit two months earlier because the couple wanted to tell “their truth” to Oprah Winfrey. A “tell-all” chat that aired days after the Megxit exchange shocked the world.
The couple claimed there was a racist in the royal family and claimed Meghan’s mental health concerns were being ignored.
Astonishingly, the Queen was not told what was planned, as palace insiders revealed “as non-working members of the Royal Family, they are under no obligation to inform the Royal Household of such plans”.
Faced with a barrage of accusations, many of which were later shown to be untrue, the Queen waited more than 38 hours to publicly respond. She ordered a private family investigation into the claims, but pointedly released the following words: “Some memories may vary.”
She remained polite, saying the Sussexes remained “much-loved members of the family”.
A source close to the Queen said: “She’s not angry, she’s just sad. He has always been looked after and the Queen is very protective of him.”
Two months later Harry went further on a mental health podcast, criticizing his upbringing saying he wanted to “break the cycle” of the pain his father had caused.
It was a more personal attack on the Queen, Charles and the entire royal family.
Faced with enormous public sympathy, after the shock and horror of her first interview with Oprah, and grieving the loss of her husband, she remained silent.
Just a few years earlier, the Queen welcomed divorcee Meghan into the fold and issued an instrument of consent for their wedding in May 2018, saying she was “thrilled for the couple”.
For the engagement, Meghan gave a set of pearl earrings and a necklace and gave the couple Frogmore Cottage.
The pair shared a tender moment when the Queen placed a blanket over Meghan’s lap at their first engagement together in Cheshire. Meghan later told Oprah: “The Queen has always been wonderful to me.”
An insider said: “She understood that Harry and Meghan wanted out, but it couldn’t come at the expense of the whole family.”
Because during her reign, the queen never even thought of moving away from the royal life. She remembered all too well the huge toll that was the abdication of Edward VIII. had for her own father and the royal family.
When Edward quit his royal duties to marry American Wallis Simpson, the line of succession passed to her father.
George VI called it a “burden” since he was second-born and spare and therefore never meant to take the crown, let alone pass it on to his eldest daughter.
But he was considered a successful war king even though he succumbed to stress and heavy smoking and died aged 56 – leaving Princess Elizabeth to become Queen at the age of 25.
In a radio message broadcast worldwide on her 21st, she said: “I declare before all of you that I will devote my whole life, be it long or short, to your service.”
The thought of abdicating or leaving royal service to enjoy life elsewhere, even stepping down as head of state or head of family, was never an option she wanted or explored.
The queen was true to her word. And her service was universal to the family and the state.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education