From the outside, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the British Royal Family looked like the ultimate act of rebellion — two people breaking free from centuries of tradition to forge their own path. But behind the public statements and tabloid headlines lay something deeper: exhaustion, pain, and fear for their wellbeing.
In early 2020, after a turbulent period of scrutiny and internal friction, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their royal duties and left Britain. Their “freedom flight” marked the end of their lives as working royals — and the beginning of a complicated new chapter.
The Announcement That Shocked the Palace
On January 8, 2020, the couple stunned the world by announcing their decision to “step back” as senior members of the Royal Family.
“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,” they said in a public statement.
They promised to support the late Queen Elizabeth II while seeking financial independence and a balance between life in the UK and North America. Their intent, they wrote, was to give their son, Archie, “an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born,” while also providing their family “the space to focus on the next chapter.”
But the shock wasn’t limited to the public. According to BBC reports at the time, neither the Queen nor Prince William had been consulted before the announcement went live. Palace sources described senior royals as “disappointed” and “hurt,” viewing the move as a break in trust.
Trouble Behind the Palace Walls
Although the split appeared sudden, tension had been building long before. Royal biographer Andrew Morton noted that Harry and Meghan had likely begun questioning their future within “The Firm” soon after their 2018 wedding.
BBC correspondent Jonny Dymond later admitted that “within days” of the ceremony, rumors of conflict were already circulating — stories of staff friction, of strained relations between the Sussexes and the Cambridges. Journalist Camilla Tominey, who first revealed the couple’s relationship, said she received early briefings that “all was not well” between the brothers and their wives.
The Breaking Point
Publicly, Meghan Markle became the target of intense, often hostile tabloid coverage. Privately, the couple felt increasingly isolated within the royal household. In her 2022 interview with The Cut, Meghan revealed that their attempts to ease the tension — including proposals to relocate within the Commonwealth — were rejected.
“We were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy,” she said. “We thought maybe if we moved somewhere else, the noise would stop. We even suggested living in South Africa or Canada. But that wasn’t allowed.”
According to Meghan, other royals had similar arrangements — dividing time between duty and private enterprise — but their own proposal was dismissed. “That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do,” she said.
In Spare, Prince Harry’s memoir, he described a moment of clarity — and fear. “When my wife and I fled this place, in fear for our sanity and physical safety, I wasn’t sure when I’d ever come back,” he wrote of leaving Frogmore Cottage in 2020.
Fear, Mental Health, and the Need to Escape
The move wasn’t about freedom in the glamorous sense. It was survival.
Harry’s words in Spare reveal that his and Meghan’s departure was born of desperation. The couple felt cornered — trapped by media hostility, institutional rigidity, and a sense of being unprotected.
They first spent time in Canada before ultimately settling in Montecito, California. The decision, though drastic, was meant to give them the breathing room they couldn’t find in the UK.
“How beautiful it all is,” Harry recalled thinking about Frogmore after returning for Prince Philip’s funeral. “And also how sad. Once upon a time, this was going to be my forever home. Instead, it had proved to be just another brief stop.”
Financial Independence and Fallout
When they left, the couple agreed to repay roughly $3 million — the cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage — to British taxpayers. Although initially allowed to keep the residence as their UK base, that arrangement changed in 2023, reportedly after Harry released Spare. King Charles III ordered their eviction shortly afterward.
Sources close to the Sussexes described the move as “cruel” and “final,” claiming it symbolized a clean break. “It’s like the family wants to cut them out for good,” one insider told royal reporter Omid Scobie.
The Struggle to Adjust
While Montecito offers privacy and sunshine, Harry reportedly still feels the pull of his old life. According to royal author Tom Quinn, the Duke misses his military comrades and old Etonian friends, few of whom have visited him in California.
“As time goes by, Harry misses some aspects of his old life in the UK,” Quinn said. “The honeymoon period in the States is ending, and he’s looking back through rose-tinted glasses.”
Quinn also claimed that Harry hopes to establish a permanent home in Britain and continues to pursue legal action for taxpayer-funded security during visits.
A Divide Between Husband and Wife
Not everyone shares Harry’s nostalgia. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams believes Meghan has no interest in returning to the royal fold.
“We know they wanted an apology from the Royal Family for how they were treated,” Fitzwilliams told The Sun. “They won’t get that. But I do think Harry feels a degree of regret.”
Fitzwilliams pointed to Harry’s absence from key royal events such as Trooping the Colour, a ceremony he once cherished as a proud military man. “The military has been a very important part of his life, and I would have thought it only natural that he would feel some regret not being there,” he said.
By contrast, Fitzwilliams described Meghan’s attitude as “indifferent,” suggesting she no longer feels connected to royal traditions. “If it had meant something to her, she would have found a way to carve out a role within the family,” he concluded.
A Family Divided by Duty and Identity
Today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex live a quieter life, raising their children — Archie and Lilibet — away from the relentless scrutiny they faced in London. They have pursued philanthropic and media ventures, including Netflix and Spotify deals, while continuing their advocacy on mental health and social justice.
Yet even as they redefine what it means to be “royal,” the emotional scars of their departure linger. For Harry, the pull between duty, family, and identity remains unresolved. For Meghan, the focus is forward — on independence, safety, and peace.
In many ways, their story reflects the timeless conflict between tradition and freedom, between belonging and self-preservation. Their choice to leave wasn’t an act of defiance — it was an act of survival.
Family home renovation
And in the quiet hills of California, far from the palaces and protocols of Britain, the couple seems determined to write their own story — one not defined by titles or tabloids, but by the life they chose for themselves and their children.