No one could have predicted that Meghan Markle would only be a working royal family member for a short time. She and Harry left the UK and the Firm after only a few years, and what happened afterward still affects them today. The couple made all sorts of accusations at the royals through their many interviews and Harry’s Spare book, and today, their relationship with the royal family is at its lowest point.
While Meghan became popular with the public during her time in the UK, what went on behind closed doors painted a vastly different picture. In 2022, The London Times’ royal correspondent Valentine Low released a bombshell book claiming that both Meghan and Harry bullied their staff and that one staff member was “completely destroyed” by their experience working with the Sussexes.
Both Harry and Meghan denied the shocking claims in the book. But even though it’s been some time since its release, another person has come forward. The late Queen’s former press secretary, Samantha Cohen, has spoken out.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married at St. George’s Chapel in 2018. It was the beginning of what many thought would be a lifelong service to the Crown, but it didn’t take long before that dream was shattered.
Harry & Meghan
On January 8, 2020, the couple announced the news on their official Instagram account.
“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,” Harry and Meghan Markle said.
“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.”
It seemed that Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royals had initially accepted their decision. After all, they are human beings free to do whatever they feel is right.
However, it didn’t take long before things turned very ugly.
The Oprah interview turned everything on its head regarding the royal family, Harry and Meghan. Firstly, the couple accused members of the Firm of questioning their son Archie’s potential skin color (before his birth). Meghan, meanwhile, lashed out during the interview, saying that she didn’t get any help from the Firm regarding her declining mental health.
Later, Harry released his book, Spare, in which he revealed all sorts of things about his royal family members, which left many, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, furious.
In December 2022, just weeks before Harry’s book came out, the Sussexes released a documentary series on Netflix in which the couple would “share their complex journey in their own words.”
Harry & Meghan Markle traveled on the “freedom flight”
The Netflix show followed Harry and Meghan’s journey from leaving the royals to living a brand new life in the US. After staying in Canada, the couple settled in Montecito, California, buying a mansion there and preparing for the birth of their second child, Lilibet.
The show included never-before-seen pictures of the couple and their children, Archie and Lilibet. It also gave viewers an insight into their first hours after leaving the royal family.
When Harry and Meghan boarded their flight in Canada, it marked the moment they officially left their royal lives behind.
Harry branded the flight “the freedom flight,” which, of course, could be interpreted in many ways. Yet now, when looking back, it’s pretty evident that the term “freedom flight” refers to the fact that he and Meghan finally felt free to do what they wanted, as opposed to being controlled by their duties with the Firm.
Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother, Doria Ragland, left on a private jet. It was shown in the last episode of the Netflix show – and for those who never watched the six episodes, it was undoubtedly a moment plenty of people missed out on.
