The Queen’s Christmastime Snub of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Was a Lot More Intentional Than You Might Think
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have not been on the best of terms with the rest of the royal family this year. But apparently, the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals started before the Duke and Duchess announced that they were stepping back from their jobs as senior working members of the royal family. And Queen Elizabeth II’s 2019 Christmastime snub makes that fact even more clear.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seperate from the royals
After months of turmoil and vilification by the media, Harry and Meghan decided to step down from their roles as working royals at the beginning of the year.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement following the Sussexes announcement.
“As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments,” the statement continued. “They will no longer receive public funds for Royal duties.”
“With the queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent the queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.”
The queen’s feelings toward Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Officially, the queen said that she was happy for Meghan and Harry on their new journey.
“Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family,” she said in her statement. “Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.”
The queen even went as far as to say that she supported the separation and their desire to lead a new, independent life.
The queen’s snub
Before Meghan and Harry officially announced their intentions to exit the working side of the family, they filed to trademark over 100 products with their Sussex Royal brand.
According to royal biographer Robert Lacey’s new book Battle Of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story Of A Family In Turmoil, the queen was irate when she found out. This reportedly led to her snubbing the Sussexes in her Christmas broadcast.
The queen always showcases photos on her desk of her family members during the broadcast, but last year Harry, Meghan, and newcomer Archie were missing.
The book claims that this was deliberate.
“The absence of a single Sussex from the 2019 assemblage of significant royal faces reflected a deliberate decision on the part of Queen Elizabeth II,” an excerpt from the book obtained by HollywoodLife reads. “She would be providing no brand endorsement opportunities this year for Sussex Royal.”
What made the blow even more significant was the fact that Archie had just been born earlier in the year, making him the newest royal grandchild.
“It was unheard of for the royal Christmas desk not to feature a cozy image of the latest royal grandchild or great-grandchild,” the book reads. “But in 2019 there was no sight of Archie. A brief video clip flashed on-screen during the broadcast showing the queen and Doria cluck-clucking over the little boy, but there was no name check. The queen simply acknowledges the arrival of her great-grandchild in passing, without mentioning his name or his parents.”
