Royal Insiders Saw Signs Prince Harry & Meghan Would Leave The Royal Family

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to leave royal life behind remains a hot topic of discussion. Some royal insiders and experts reportedly saw Meghan and Harry's abrupt exit from the U.K. coming a mile away, citing a handful of incidents that hinted they were going to bolt. In his book, "The Four Wives of Windsor," royal correspondent Simon Vigar chronicled the events that led to the couple's shocking exit. Among other things, palace insiders divulged that Meghan seemingly didn't quite comprehend what she was getting herself into. As a senior palace aide dished, "Meghan understood 'the show' bit but not the cultural side of the royal family." 

The moment Vigar realized the Duchess of Sussex might not stick around came when he covered her official tour to Fiji, alongside Harry. Meghan was attending an engagement at a market, but she ended up not completing it, citing a "security issue." Vigar argues that this wasn't true, and that he personally witnessed the former "Suits" star walking right past a woman who was eagerly waiting to meet her without so much as a glance. "She [Meghan] just zoomed past her, and that was that. Meghan was off. It was very strange. [...] I suppose that was an early sign in retrospect. That was an early sign that there was a mismatch in expectations," he wrote. 

Royal experts have also pointed out several signs that Meghan and Harry were planning on leaving the royal family, citing the Sussexes' candid conversations about how much they struggled with the pressures of royal life. "There's a couple here who are saying that the intense media scrutiny of their lives is making them question whether they want to continue to be royals, effectively," royal expert Camilla Tominey noted during a 2019 appearance on "This Morning."

In 2005, royal author Penny Junor published her book, "The Firm," which delved into Prince Harry's role in the family, and how he seemingly wasn't a big fan of royal life, even back then. Junor raised concerns that he might end up like his late mother, Princess Diana, if he stayed indefinitely. "The answer perhaps is to cut Harry free from the Family Firm," she argued. "I can see no purpose in making him knuckle down, forcing him into a mold that doesn't fit." The author felt the Duke of Sussex would be better off paving his own way, separate from the monarchy. 

"Let him go out and earn a living free from all encumbrances," she advised, adding that, if the need ever arose, Harry could simply return and resume his duties. Funnily enough, this hybrid royal life was what the prince originally wanted for himself and Meghan Markle, but the palace denied their request. Junor wasn't the only one who predicted Harry would up and leave someday. During a 2019 episode of the "Pod Save the Queen" podcast, royal editor Russell Myers and royal correspondent Richard Palmer suggested that the Sussexes were planning on quitting royal life. 

When host Ann Gripper broached the subject, Palmer confirmed that he believed it was a possibility. "It looks to me almost as if they're creating a narrative that will allow them to justify doing exactly that at a later point," he said, surmising that Meghan and Harry might move to Los Angeles or Africa, per Express. Russell concurred, noting, "I think they've laid the foundations, no doubt in my mind." While some argue Prince Harry regrets leaving royal life behind, the celebrity couple shows no signs of ever returning.