Why Queen Elizabeth Felt Prince Harry ‘Had Let Her Down’ With His Royal Exit

Though personally fond of Harry, the queen reportedly rejected any “half-in, half-out” arrangement, insisting the couple give up HRH titles, patronages, and public funding.

The decision followed the Sandringham Summit in 2020. Prince Harry later said he felt hurt by the response, while the couple revisited tensions and family conflict in their Netflix documentary.

Before the late queen’s passing, she was confronted with one of the most complex personal and constitutional challenges of her monarchy: how to respond to Harry and Meghan’s decision to step away from senior royal duties.

While Elizabeth was said to have had deep affection for Harry as her grandson, admiring the “fun-loving side to his character,” those close to her suggest her perspective as sovereign was far less forgiving.

Royal author Robert Jobson has revealed that she viewed Harry as a “maverick who had let her down,” describing his departure as a significant lost opportunity.

In his book “Catherine: The Biography,” Jobson claims the queen believed Harry and Meghan had enormous potential within the institution, but “the idea of the couple earning millions by cashing in on their royal titles and status was abhorrent to her.”

According to Jobson, Elizabeth’s stance was unequivocal: “You were either working for the Firm fully, or not. There was no halfway house.”

When the Sussexes announced their intention to leave royal life in early 2020 and relocate to North America, the queen did not block their decision, but she reportedly insisted on firm consequences.

These included relinquishing royal patronages, giving up the use of HRH titles, and abandoning the “Sussex Royal” brand altogether.

These terms were finalized following the now-infamous meeting at Sandringham in January 2020, later dubbed the “Sandringham Summit.”

The private discussion, attended by the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Harry, lasted around 90 minutes and centered on how to manage what became known as “Megxit.” Though details of the meeting were never fully disclosed, it marked a turning point for the family.

Shortly after, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Harry and Meghan would no longer use their HRH titles and would cease being working royals.

Harry lost his honorary military roles and his position as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, while the couple agreed to forgo public funding and repay the £2.4 million spent renovating Frogmore Cottage.

Royal biographer Tom Bower later suggested that the Sussexes’ initial proposal to “carve out a progressive role” while pursuing independent commercial ventures abroad was perceived as deeply inappropriate by the queen.

He said that she rejected the idea outright, making it clear that a “half-in, half-out” arrangement was unacceptable.

Despite expecting some “kickback,” Harry was reportedly stunned by the firmness of the response.

Jobson claims sources close to the prince said he felt “shocked” and “hurt,” interpreting the outcome as a form of exile rather than a negotiated exit.

“He could not believe the entire Royal Family, almost in unison, turned their backs on him,” wrote Jobson, per the Daily Mail.

In their 2022 Netflix documentary, Harry reflected on the Sandringham meeting, alleging that his brother William “screamed and shouted” at him.

He also shared at the time that his father, then-Prince Charles, made statements he believed to be untrue.

The Duke of Sussex described Queen Elizabeth II as quietly observing the entire confrontation unfold.

Meghan, meanwhile, expressed anger at being excluded from the summit while she was in Canada with their son Archie, saying decisions about her future were made without her presence.

Meanwhile, according to a royal expert, Harry was reportedly furious after Meghan appeared to mock royal protocol by performing what some viewed as an exaggerated curtsy when she first met Queen Elizabeth II.

The moment was revisited in the Sussexes’ Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan,” which offered candid insight into Meghan’s early encounters with the Royal Family.

In the series, the couple recalled Meghan’s first meeting with the late queen, which took place during a visit to Windsor for lunch with Princess Eugenie at Royal Lodge.

Harry admitted he struggled to explain royal customs to his American girlfriend at the time, noting how unusual it felt to tell her she would need to curtsy to his grandmother.

“How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother? And that you will need to curtsy. Especially to an American. That’s weird,” he said.

Meghan, for her part, said the meeting came as a surprise. She explained that she only learned she would be meeting the Queen moments beforehand and initially thought Harry was joking when he asked if she knew how to curtsy.

During the documentary, Meghan reenacted the encounter with an extended, theatrical bow, laughing as she said, “Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.” At the same time, the camera briefly cut to Harry’s visibly uncomfortable reaction.

An expert later shared that the act likely left the Duke of Sussex displeased.