May 02, 2021
While the Queen was aware of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s plans of parting ways from the royal family, she was reportedly left “unsettled and upset” over the timing of the announcement.
Royal biographer Robert Jobson detailed in his new biography on Prince Philip that the Queen instructed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to keep mum for the time being.
However with their intentions laid bare on Instagram, the Duke of Edinburgh appeared to be enraged by not only the move but also at the Queen’s heartbreaking reaction.
“Philip was spotted leaving Sandringham in the morning, after he was reportedly made furious by Meghan and Harry’s intention to step back as senior royals.
"The Duke of Edinburgh, who was seen sitting on the passenger seat of his Land Rover wearing a seat belt, is understood to have said, ‘What on earth are they playing at?’ after the Sussexes issued their statement.
"One senior member of the Royal Household told me that the Duke’s fit of pique was due to seeing his wife unsettled and upset by the couple’s behaviour.”
"To say that the Duke feels they let the side down would be a considerable understatement.
"He was furious and felt that the Queen and indeed his son the Prince of Wales had always given Prince Harry plenty of scope to live the life that he had wanted.
"Yes, he was extremely disappointed by their behaviour and the way he tried to back both the Prince of Wales and Her Majesty into a corner by releasing that statement."
It was a question of trust.
"There was a feeling that Harry and Meghan had knowingly breached that trust.
"It showed a total lack of respect."