Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step down as senior members of the royal family came as a shock to the family and will carry consequences, according to reports.
“This hasn’t been properly thought through,” a source within the royal household told the Evening Standard on Thursday. “It is incredibly self-indulgent, and the way they made this announcement showed little or no respect to the queen or the prince of Wales, who have been given a lifetime of service to the crown. It is shocking, just shocking behavior.”
Harry and Meghan announced Wednesday that they would seek to “become financially independent” from the royal family and move to North America. Prince Charles and Prince William learned of the couple’s decision only 10 minutes before they posted it on Instagram.
Buckingham Palace initially sent a chilly response to the couple’s news, saying things are “at an early stage” and adding, “We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”
Senior courtiers said privately that “Harry and Meghan will be punished for this.” A senior source said that this “statement was not cleared with anyone. It breaks all protocol. This is a declaration of war on the family.”
