Why Prince Philip Was 'Very Disappointed' With Meghan Markle After She Joined The Royal Family

Prince Philip reportedly struggled to understand Meghan Markle's rejection of royal life, especially after she and her husband, Prince Harry, quit their roles as working royals.

The Duke of Edinburgh gave up his birth citizenship, name, and naval career to support Queen Elizabeth II, embodying duty and sacrifice as her consort for over 70 years.

According to a new report, Prince Philip expected the same level of commitment from Meghan Markle when she joined the royal family, but he was left feeling "disappointed."

Often seen as the monarchy's stoic backbone, Prince Philip had long embodied the personal sacrifice that royal duty demands.

Upon marrying then-Princess Elizabeth, Philip gave up not only his naval career, but also his Greek citizenship and his family name. For decades, he played the role of a loyal consort, devoting himself to supporting Queen Elizabeth II from behind the scenes.

This sense of duty and selflessness shaped his expectations for others who joined the monarchy, and it was no surprise that he expected others who married into the family to show a similar level of dedication.

According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward in a 2020 interview with Sky News, Philip struggled to comprehend Meghan Markle's choices after her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, and he was dismayed by what he saw as a refusal to embrace the responsibilities that came with their titles.

"Philip couldn't understand why Meghan wouldn't simply support Harry and the monarchy the way he had supported the Queen," Seward explained per the Daily Mail. "He gave up everything—his career, his identity—for duty. That shaped his entire outlook."

Seward continued: "I think he's very, very disappointed because I think he feels he gave up his naval career in order to stand by the Queen and help the monarchy. And why can't Meghan just give up her acting career, support her husband, and support the monarchy?"

She added, "He just cannot understand why she couldn't support Harry and help him rather than wanting to have her voice."

According to Seward, when Harry and Meghan announced in January 2020 that they were stepping back from their royal duties, the late Queen called a crisis meeting at Sandringham to address the situation.

However, Philip chose not to be involved in the discussions about the couple's future.

Philip, along with Kate Middleton and Camilla, was notably absent from the high-level meeting attended by Elizabeth II, then-Prince Charles, Prince William, and Harry.

Meghan, who remained in Canada with baby Archie at the time, was reportedly upset that she wasn't included in the summit.

Seward revealed that the Duke of Edinburgh had no interest in participating in what he saw as a disruptive affair.

"Of course, it irritates him hugely," she said in a 2020 interview. "And when they had the Sandringham Summit, Prince Philip was seen leaving the house very swiftly before they all arrived."

"He simply doesn't want to get involved anymore," she added.

Long before his marriage to Elizabeth and his title as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip underwent a significant personal transformation.

To become a British citizen, he relinquished his Greek and Danish royal titles and adopted a new name, Philip Mountbatten, thereby shedding his birth name, Philippos Andreou of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

His life changed even more dramatically when Elizabeth became Queen at just 25, following the sudden death of her father, King George VI.

Historian Tessa Dunlop, in her biography "Elizabeth and Philip," noted that Philip accepted he would not be named Prince Consort like Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, acknowledging that "times had changed."

However, Philip didn't take kindly to the decision for the royal family to continue using the name Windsor, rather than adopting his surname after his marriage to Queen Elizabeth.

While he had hoped the royal house would bear his name, Mountbatten, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, encouraged by Queen Mary, stood firm on keeping Windsor.

A compromise was floated, suggesting the family could be called the House of Edinburgh. But as historian Tessa Dunlop noted, "Philip wasn't fussed over which name, so long as it was his name."

In the end, even that compromise was denied. Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth later revealed Philip's frustration, quoting him as saying he was "the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children."

Despite his disappointment, Philip moved past the matter and fully embraced his royal role. Over the decades, he served as patron to more than 800 organizations, most notably establishing the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which continues to impact young people across the globe.

When Philip officially stepped back from royal duties on August 2, 2017, he had already made history as the longest-serving consort in British royal history. By that time, he had devoted over seven decades to supporting Queen Elizabeth II and fulfilling his role beside her on the world stage.

As the rift between Prince Harry, Meghan, and the royal family deepens, the duke has called for reconciliation, hinting at a desire to mend broken bridges.

In a May interview with the BBC, the Duke of Sussex opened up about his strained relationship with the royal family after losing his final bid for taxpayer-funded security in the UK.

"There have been so many disagreements between me and some of my family," he said, adding that he had now "forgiven" them.

He continued: "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile."