Prince Harry and Meghan were told they ‘weren’t really part’ of plans for a slimmed down monarchy, according to one of their close confidantes.
Tom Bradby said it was also ‘not true’ that the royals were ‘blindsided’ by their announcement to step back.
The Queen has ordered crisis talks and a solution to be found ‘within days’ after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they wanted to carve a new future for themselves.
She, as well as Princes Charles and William, were said to be ‘hurt’ that the bombshell announcement was made while talks were in the ‘early stages.’
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Mr Bradby – , who made the ITV documentary in which the pair admitted struggling with public life – said that Harry and Meghan wanted to speak to the family about their plans when they returned from their six-week stay in Canada.
He told ITV News: ‘It’s certainly not true to say the palace were blindsided by this.
‘The couple’s view was they came back and wanted to talk to the family about their plans.
‘It had been made clear to them in their absence there was going to be a slimmed down monarchy and they weren’t really a part of it.’
He added that the couple were asked to write down their suggestions on how their future might work but they initially declined to, fearing it would be leaked to the press.
Some details did leak out and so, Mr Bradby said, the Sussexes decided to go public without alerting other royals.
Prince Charles has always favoured a slimmed-down, more European style of monarchy once the Queen dies.
He is supported in that view by William, although reports say that Harry was always made aware he was a part of that vision.
However, there has been speculation that the Queen’s decision to release a photograph of herself and her three heirs may have been the final straw because it highlighted how far removed Harry is from the line of succession.
According to the Times: ‘The Sussexes were upset at the release of the “line of succession” photograph and saw it as a signal that they were being excluded from royal life.
‘They will have taken the same message from the fact that there were no images of them among the framed photographs on the Queen’s desk when she delivered her Christmas Day message.
‘Their decision to “step back” from royal duties was, in part, triggered by those signals.’
Once Charles becomes King, William will take over as head of the Duchy of Cornwall – which funds 95% of Harry and Meghan’s income.
The Mirror said the possibility Harry would be cut off from future funding because of a rift with his brother meant the pair decided now was the time to earn their own income.
Harry and Meghan released a statement on Wednesday night saying they were standing down as ‘senior royals’ and were working to become financially independent.
Questions have been raised over who will foot the bill for their security and whether they will continue to be paid an allowance of £2.3 million each year by Prince Charles.
In their statement, the Sussexes said they would continue to support the Queen but there is no mention of whether they will continue to work with future Kings once she dies.
