Senior courtiers warned that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be “punished” for their decision to step away from their “senior” roles.
Courtiers claimed the Queen told Prince Harry not to go public with his plans until they had been talked about and agreed upon, according to a report published Thursday by the Evening Standard.
The Queen would not meet with Prince Harry and Markle until he had discussed his plan in detail with his father, sources told the Standard. Prince Charles and Prince William were reportedly sent copies of the statement only ten minutes before it went public Wednesday on Instagram.
BREAKING. BBC Understands that no other member of the Royal Family was consulted before Harry and Meghan issued their personal statement tonight, the Palace is understood to be ‘disappointed’.
— Jonny Dymond (@JonnyDymond) January 8, 2020
“Their statement was not cleared with anyone,” a source told The Sun. “It breaks all protocol. This is a declaration of war on the family.”
“There is fury over how they’ve done this without any thought for the implications for the institution,” the source continued. “The Queen is deeply upset. The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge are incandescent with rage.” (RELATED: Oprah Winfrey Denies Advising Meghan Markle, Prince Harry On Their Exit From Royal Roles)
The plans have not been finalized, but Prince Harry and Markle plan to split their time between North America and the United Kingdom, while becoming financially independent.
“Courtiers can’t believe it,” the senior source added. “There are so many unanswered questions but they’ve just up and done it without a thought for anyone else. The plan was there to discuss it and work out a way that works for everyone in the family.”