A source told the Sun that the statement confirming they plan to step down from senior roles and spend more time across the Atlantic came so unexpected for both the royal family and the public because Prince Harry “knew he needed to take swift action.”
“Meghan has not settled in the UK and he knows that and wants her to be happy. And it has got worse recently, with their spell in Canada helping to cement her view that the family would be better off out of the spotlight and spending more time there. He feared staying in the UK too long would lead to Meghan having a meltdown. That is why things moved so quickly,” the source said.
Another source said that Harry was worried about the impact the role of being a senior royal could have on Meghan’s life and its effect on their marriage and family life.
“He has been open about his mental health struggles in the past and knew that something had to be done quickly to make the situation less stressful.”
Harry reportedly suggested the idea of the couple stepping down as senior royals before Christmas. His father, Prince Charles, told him to come up with a “thought out” plan and Harry sent him a draft proposal before requesting a meeting with the Queen over the issue – yet the request was blocked by palace officials.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex dropped a bombshell announcement this week, revealing that they are stepping back as “senior” royals and plan to work to become financially independent, triggering distress within the British monarchy. According to sources close to the royal family, the Queen was very unhappy with the couple's decision, while Harry's brother Prince William and their father Charles were "enraged."
British tabloids, as well as social media, have been speculating that Prince Harry and his wife were sidelined by the rest of the royals and that led to their decision to leave the royal family, though they said they would split their time between the United Kingdom and North America, while continuing to support the Queen.
