Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Left UK 'Crushed' According to Royal Expert

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Over the last couple of months, much has been said about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to relinquish their roles as senior members of the royal family and move to North America to gain financial independence from the crown. For many people, they believed that the decision was made to 'spite' the queen and live a life how they wanted to. However, according to a royal expert, there was something more nefarious at play that forced the hand of both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, resulting in their move.

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Omid Scobie, Bazaar.com’s royal editor at large and a journalist in Harry and Meghan’s inner circle, recently shared that the last few days of final royal engagements for the couple were 'crushing', citing that they knew that there wasn't any other choice.

"To say they were crushed is an understatement. It’s a decision that the couple still feel wasn’t necessary, but also wasn’t a surprise, given the lack of support they received as they were relentlessly attacked by sections of the British press with almost daily mistruths and hateful commentary," Scobie shared in his Bazaar story.

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The royal expert explained that while the media made it look like Prince Harry and Meghan had a choice, that effectively was a false facade. According to Scobie, the couple was left to defend themselves from the tabloids without the help of other members of the royal family.

"While recent tabloid coverage has made it seem like the Sussexes’ half-in-half-out bid was about wanting it all, the reality was a couple who were left with no other choice but to create their own change after being left to fend for themselves against impossible circumstances — even during her pregnancy," Scobie continued.

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Both Prince Harry and Meghan knew that something needed to change with how they were being perceived by the media with the numerous mistruths, but they had no idea on how to approach changing the narrative. Scobie also explained that supporting the queen was never something they questioned, but they didn't have an alternative to moving to North America.

"They knew something had to change, but they also didn’t want to stop supporting the queen. One can’t help but wonder if things might have been different if a family member or two had stood up for them during the darkest times," he explained.

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Scobie had the chance to accompany the couple during their final royal engagements as senior members and revealed how hurt Prince Harry was in having to cut his ties with his military affiliates.

"Harry’s lifelong commitment is why Saturday’s Mountbatten Festival of Music was a particularly difficult moment, wearing his Captain General of the Royal Marines uniform for the last time," Scobie said. "Giving up his royal duties has resulted in his military honors coming to an end — a particularly tough pill to swallow and something that has been just as difficult for his wife to witness. It is, a source close to the couple tells me, a wound that will take time to heal for Harry."