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According to a royal expert, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle likely hoped to find a “third way” to handle their royal duties before resigning as senior royals. But Queen Elizabeth II might not have been interested in adding an option for them.

While Harry seemed to have a close bond with his grandmother, some experts think she drew a hard line with him after he expressed his desire to step back from his senior role. And something Harry said to Oprah Winfrey suggested that might have been the case.

(L-R) Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the royal family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018, in London, England. A royal expert claimed Harry and Meghan hoped to find a 'third way' to approach royal duties, but the queen only gave them two options.
(L-R) Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton | Neil Mockford/GC Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020

In 2020, Harry and Meghan announced they intended to “step back” from their duties as senior royals. A statement read: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.”

“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen,” they added (People). The couple moved to California, purchasing a home in Santa Barbara worth around $14 million.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted a ‘third way’ to approach their duties, royal expert says

According to Katie Nicholl, Harry and Meghan might not have wanted to resign entirely from their duties. She thinks they were hoping to find a way of stepping back without stepping down, but the queen wasn’t keen.

“I think, ultimately, it did have to be black and white because this was about preserving the reputation and the integrity of the crown and the institution. And so, while Harry and Meghan had hoped there would be a third way for the queen, it was very simple. You are either in, or you are out,” Nicholl explained to Us Weekly.

Notably, Harry mentioned during the couple’s interview with Oprah that the queen flaked on their plans after he and Meghan announced their intentions to take a step back. He said they had planned to meet during one of his visits to the United Kingdom. But she was suddenly busy for the week and unable to see him once he arrived (CBS This Morning).

Prince William reportedly refuses to forgive Prince Harry for what he saw as a ‘great disrespect’ to Queen Elizabeth II

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Nicholl said Prince William had a “difficult” time after Harry left royal duties for a move to California. “I think that’s partly why this rift hasn’t been resolved,” she explained (Us Weekly). “… William can’t completely forgive Harry for what he’s done.”

“I think William had always expected that he would have the support of his brother. And I think it wasn’t just that Harry had chosen to leave and to stand down,” she said. “I think a lot of it was how he chose to do that and what William saw as great disrespect to the institution and to his, to his family, to his grandmother.”

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