Why Prince William Believes Meghan And Harry 'Blindsided' The Queen

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell tell-all with Oprah Winfrey in early March 2021 sent shockwaves through the royal family — and honestly, the rest of the world. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex candidly opened up about what life has been like since she became a member of the royal family in 2018. 

In addition to detailing their struggles in the public eye, claims of racism, and concerns over security for their toddler son, Archie, during the two-hour conversation on CBS, the couple revealed that higher-ups in the Palace had expressed "concerns" over Archie's skin color when Meghan was pregnant. "There were several conversations about it [how dark the baby would be] and what that would mean or look like," she said (via In Touch Weekly). Among other discussions about Meghan's alleged feud with Kate Middleton, how late mom Princess Diana would feel about the situation, and what their future looks like, Harry offered an update on his relationship with his older brother, Prince William.

"Much will continue to be said about that," the ginger prince proclaimed. "You know, as I've said before, I love William to bits. He's my brother. We've been through hell together. I mean, we have a shared experience. But we — you know, we're on — we're on different paths." Though Harry expressed nothing but love and support for the Duke of Cambridge, reports suggest that William isn't too happy about the younger duke's decision to step back from the royal family. Here's why William believes Meghan and Harry "blindsided" Queen Elizabeth. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their decision to step back from their roles as senior royals in January 2020, a transition that was made final in February 2021. Though the royal relinquishment wasn't easy for anyone involved, Prince William was reportedly more infuriated than ever when Harry and Meghan defended their use of the phrase "Sussex Royal."

In March 2020, the couple launched their website, SussexRoyal.com, which "outlines The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new roles." However, shortly after, Queen Elizabeth announced that they could no longer use the word "royal" if they weren't going to be working members of the British monarchy. Harry and Meghan responded with a statement on their site (via the Independent), acknowledging that they "do not intend to use 'Sussex Royal' or any iteration of the word 'Royal' in any territory" going forward. 

Still, William was reportedly unhappy with the couple's mention that "there is not any jurisdiction by The Monarchy or Cabinet Office over the use of the word 'Royal' overseas" in their statement. According to a source cited by The Sunday Times on March 20, 2021, "That was it for William. He felt they'd blindsided the Queen in such an insulting and disrespectful way." Furthermore, William was especially "reeling" after Harry and Meghan's explosive tell-all interview, with the insider claiming, "His head is all over the place on it." 

Hopefully, William and Harry can find a way to mend their relationship in the future.