Meghan Markle thought she’d be ‘the Beyoncé of the UK,’ book claims
Meghan Markle wanted to be as big as Beyoncé overseas upon marrying Prince Harry, a new book claims.
“I think Meghan thought she was going to be the Beyoncé of the UK,” a former palace insider told royal author Valentine Low for “Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown” (via the Times of London).
“Being part of the royal family would give her that kudos,” the insider continued. “Whereas what she discovered was that there were so many rules that were so ridiculous that she couldn’t even do the things that she could do as a private individual, which is tough.”
After tying the knot in May 2018, Harry and Markle announced on Jan. 8, 2020, their intention to “step back” from their duties as senior royals. Five days later, the prince’s family members, including Queen Elizabeth II, met to discuss the unprecedented decision in what was dubbed the “Sandringham Summit.”
“It just required the decision-makers to sit around a table and say, ‘OK, what are we going to do about this? What do you need to feel better? And what can we give?'” a palace insider told Low.
The group discussed “five scenarios” in which Harry and Markle could live their lives as they pleased and how it would reflect on the royal family.
However, Low wrote that the Queen, who died at age 96 earlier this month, “took the view that unless the couple were prepared to abide by the restrictions that applied to working members of the royal family, they could not be allowed to carry out official duties.”
Following the summit, the monarch announced on Jan. 13, 2020, that while she “would have preferred” that Harry and Markle “remain full-time working members of the royal family,” the couple would move forward with their plan to “create a new life.”
Their departure — widely known as Megxit — became official in February 2021.
“Following conversations with [Harry], the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time.
Harry, 38, and Markle, 41, now live in Montecito, Calif., with their two children: son Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex most recently reunited with the royal family — including Harry’s estranged brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law Kate Middleton — to attend the Queen’s funeral on Sept. 19.