Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Slammed for Being ‘Selfish’ for Leaving During Crisis, According to Royal Expert

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex officially leave their royal duties on Mar. 31, following a bombshell announcement about their decision to exit the royal family. While they got Queen Elizabeth’s blessing for their plan and made sacrifices to live out of the spotlight, one royal expert believes that the move was “selfish,” especially as the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis unfolded.

Prince Harry and Meghan announced their plans to exit

In January, Prince Harry and Meghan made the surprising announcement that they planned to take a step back from their royal duties in order to escape the constant public and media scrutiny they were facing. Queen Elizabeth supported their plan and made arrangements to finalize their time in the royal family.

After the details of their official departure date were announced and the specifics, such as the couple giving up their HRH titles and any public funding, Prince Harry spoke about the reasons behind their decision during a dinner for supporters of Sentebale in London

“The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option,” he shared at the time.

One expert believes their exit was ‘selfish’

Despite the explanation that they felt they had other no options but this drastic exit from the spotlight, the couple continue to be under scrutiny for their decision. One vocal critic shared that, given the current coronavirus crisis, Prince Harry and Meghan’s departure makes them appear “selfish.”

Now Prince Harry and Meghan have reportedly moved from Canada to Los Angeles, which doesn’t sit well with royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams.

“However logical leaving Britain for Canada and then leaving Canada for Hollywood may seem to them, their contribution to helping those afflicted and those feeling threatened by COVID-19 has been limited to a few Instagram posts which are worth little,” Fitzwilliams told Express.

Fitzwilliams further shared how the timing of their move could be perceived as “selfish,” especially since Harry’s father Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus.

“Harry was brought up by both Charles and Diana with certain values including a sense of duty and to care for others, a characteristic he has shown so well with the founding of the Invictus Games and Sentebale in Lesotho as well as his work for Heads Together, the mental health charity,” Fitzwilliams explained.

He added, “The timing of their move was because of the imminent closing of the borders between the US and Canada. Yet the image this will create is that they are on a journey for themselves at a time when their undoubted global reach could give some succour to others.”

Should they have returned to the UK? 

Given Prince Charles’ test results, Fitzwilliams believes the couple could have returned to the UK instead of making their move to Hollywood.

“If they had temporarily returned to Britain, whatever their personal feelings, this would have been a selfless move and it would have won universal praise,” Fitzwilliams noted. “It certainly seems true that ‘whatever Meghan wants Meghan gets’ and when this crisis is over they will undoubtedly spread plenty of stardust.”

“With Meghan doing the voice-over, Elephant is likely to be a box office hit,” he continued, “It is a documentary about an African elephant, Shani, who, together with her resourceful son Jomo, journey with the herd as they trek across the vast Kalahari desert.”

Fitzwilliams added, “Harry and Meghan are on a journey which currently seems characterized by selfishness alone. There is an obvious logic in their recent move as Megxit looms up, but with much of the world threatened by a pandemic their undoubted talents currently seem totally wasted.”

They’ve been sharing support and resources

Despite the criticisms about the Sussexes, they have been using their Instagram account to raise awareness about how to practice social distancing and good hygiene to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In one post, the Sussexes shared, in part: “These are uncertain times. And now, more than ever, we need each other. We need each other for truth, for support, and to feel less alone during a time that can honestly feel quite scary.”

“There are so many around the world who need support right now, who are working tirelessly to respond to this crisis behind the scenes, on the frontline, or at home. Our willingness, as a people, to step up in the face of what we are all experiencing with COVID-19 is awe-inspiring. This moment is as true a testament there is to the human spirit,” the post added.