Buckingham Palace Reacts To Harry And Meghan's Resignation

From the moment Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said "I do," it's been a wild ride for Britain's royal family. In a shocking turn of events, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced via Instagram that they'll be taking a "step back" from their royal duties. The unprecedented post hit the internet on Jan. 8, 2020, and though we're living in a time when famous faces use social media to make huge announcements, air grievances, or issue apologies all the time, Meghan and Harry's method of getting their news out there may not be sitting well with some members of the British royal family.

Not long after the couple released its statement, Buckingham Palace followed up with a statement of its own. "Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage," the palace said. "We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through." Yikes! Saying that the queen's office was a bit caught off guard by the couple's plans would be an understatement. This royal tea is piping hot, and we are just getting started.

While Meghan Markle has made some controversial decisions in the past, she and Prince Harry's decision to release a statement detailing their impending conscious uncoupling from the royal family might take the cake. In their Instagram post announcing the news, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wrote, in part, that they had made their choice following "many months of reflection and internal discussions." However, it seems like the royal newlyweds might have been the only ones privy to those conversations.

According to People, sources claim that the palace, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Prince William, had no clue about what Meghan and Harry were planning to do — or how they planned to announce it. "There is a lot of hurt about this," an insider said. Sources told the Daily Mail that the royal family was "shocked, saddened and downright furious" at Meghan and Harry. One royal insider quipped, "It's deeply unfair to the Queen who doesn't deserve to be treated this way. It is a shoddy way to treat her. The family understands that they want to do something different and is perfectly willing to help them. People are just devastated."

At this point, Meghan and Harry say they'll be transitioning out of their senior roles "this year." Meanwhile, it appears that the queen has essentially said hold your horses — you're not going anywhere anytime soon. Obviously, something — or rather, someone — has got to give, and, as always, the internet has some opinions on who it thinks should be waving the white flag. 

Buckingham Palace might not be thrilled about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's bombshell of a statement, but the internet was overwhelmingly supportive of what's now known as "Megxit." One fan tweeted, "Getting Meghan out of the direct line of fire and fodder of British tabloids is what a loving husband would do. Wishing them nothing but happiness." Another tweeted, "Good for Meghan and Harry opting out of the UK tabloids staggering racism and the lack of support from the royal family. They will be fine."

Even celebrities chimed in. Legendary singer Bette Midler tweeted, "What a sad story. They hounded and bullied her until it was no longer tenable to stay, just like Diana. They'll never learn until it hits them in the wallet. I hope she bankrupts them all." Meanwhile, comedian Andy Cohen saw the news as a "one door closes, another one opens" situation. "Open invite for The Duchess to join #RHOBH !!!," he wrote on the duke and duchess' Instagram announcement (via People).

The Ringer celebrated what feels like a made-for-TV masterpiece in an op-ed by Brian Phillips: "We've all heard the story of the prince who saves the commoner by making her a princess. Well, what about — and strap in tight, here, Netflix execs, I'm about to take you on a rocket to the moon — what about a commoner ... who saves a man ... from being a prince?"

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have countless fans, but of course, for all the well-wishers, there are others who were less than impressed by their decision to ditch that royal life. One critic tweeted, "They didn't even bother consulting the Queen. Ungrateful, entitled brats." 

Talk show host Piers Morgan also took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the matter: "People say I'm too critical of Meghan Markle — but she ditched her family, ditched her Dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William & has now split him from the Royal Family. I rest my case." Morgan was likely referring to new information suggesting that Prince Harry and Prince William are also on the outs.

Only time will tell who will emerge from this battle victorious. However, given Markle's proclivity for breaking royal rules (and getting away with it), we're not counting the duchess — and her doting husband — out just yet.