Meghan Markle Reportedly Opted Out of a Confidential Royal Meeting for Fear of Someone Eavesdropping
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their departure as senior royals in January 2020, it startled the royal community. An unprecedented emergency meeting was called by the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Harry due to their choice. However, fearing that someone could be 'listening in', Markle conspicuously skipped the crucial royal meeting.
Richard Kay of the Daily Mail claimed that Markle, who was in Canada at the time, was not available due to a particular reason. As per the 2020 article, speculation arose that Meghan was unable to participate in the meeting via a phone call from Vancouver. But the insiders close to the palace revealed that the duchess's participation was ultimately deemed unnecessary. As per Kay, the palace administration claimed that this plan was discarded because it was impossible to determine exactly who else may have been eavesdropping. "This was a very private family conversation, not a conference call," a source close to the matter claimed at the time.
After the meeting, the late Queen released a personal statement, "Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family."
The couple's departure from the royal family was the culmination of divisions that began and continued after Harry decided to leave the UK. In a stunning interview with Ophrah Winfrey in 2021, the two revealed private family affairs and leveled charges against the 'Firm' after permanently relocating to the United States. As reported by CNN, Markle revealed details in the interview about the lonely and isolated existence she had as a member of the royal family, saying that she considered suicide when pregnant with her son Archie because she felt ignored by the institution. Additionally, Markle said that her baby's skin tone was a source of worry for the royal family, while Harry scolded his relatives for not speaking out against the colonial undertones in the media. One of the most shocking things that came out of the interview was when she claimed that there were talks and worries about the color of her son's skin at birth. Markle told Winfrey that an unidentified family member had brought up the topic of the baby Archie's skin tone.
At the time, the late queen made a public statement in response, saying that the family would handle all of the issues raised in the interview discreetly. As reported by ABC News, the queen stated, "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."
