Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘stabbed royal family in the back’, blast aides as Queen left ‘deeply upset’
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have been slammed by aides who claim they have 'stabbed us in the back' and want to 'have their cake and eat it' as they quit the Royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex dropped a bombshell statement last night announcing they wished to step down from their royal duties and become 'financially independent'.
The couple have been accused by former staff of wanting to 'have their cake and eat it' by hanging on to expensive royal privileges despite quitting the Royal Family.
They want to keep Grade-II listed Frogmore Cottage - recently renovated with £2.4m of taxpayers' money - as their London residence.
Taxpayers funded the upgrade after they rejected a home in the grounds of Kensington Palace, saying they wanted a place of their own.
The Sussexes also made clear last night they expect taxpayers to continue to fund their security costs as "internationally protected people".
What we know so far
- Harry and Megan are set to make millions from commercial deals
- Queen 'deeply upset' and first heard about the bombshell statement on TV
- Insiders claim Meghan has 'taken total control' of Harry's life
- New life in Canada will see Sussexes become eco-vandals
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'felt totally unwelcome' in Royal family
Harry, Meghan and baby Archie currently have up to six permanent Scotland Yard bodyguards costing around £750,000 a year.
The couple want to live in Canada the rest of the time and be free to make their own money through merchandise deals and showbiz careers by leaving the Royal Family.
One frustrated aide : "People had bent over backwards for them. They were given the wedding they wanted, the house they wanted, the office they wanted, the money they wanted, the staff they wanted, the tours they wanted and had the backing of their family. What more did they want?";
Last night's statement was released without warning the Queen, Prince Charles or Prince William, who are understood to have found out on television.
The Queen has been left "deeply upset" by the announcement and Prince Charles and Prince William are said to be “incandescent with rage.”
Another royal source said: "It's deeply unfair to the Queen who doesn't deserve to be treated this way. It is a shoddy way to treat her.
"The family understands that they want to do something different and is perfectly willing to help them. People are just devastated."
In a curt statement Buckingham Palace said the couple had been in early talks about their future roles but nothing had been finalised - suggesting it had been blindsided by the announcement.
The statement said: "Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.
"We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work though."
COUPLE TO MAKE MILLIONS FROM COMMERCIAL DEALS
The Sussexes have been ‘prohibited from earning any income in any form’ - but could now pull in huge sums on the international celebrity circuit.
Prince Harry could join the world's top speakers in demanding up to £400,000 for a single address at private events.
He has become an accomplished public speaker in recent years through his roles in leading the Invictus Games and other charity commitments.
The Sussexes recently trademarked 100 items including clothing, calendars and postcards - hinting they may be set to start selling their own merchandise.
Before marrying Harry, Meghan earned around £60,000 a year through her lifestyle blog The Tig and could be expected to rake in much more now given her status across the globe.
She also previously commanded £330,000 a series for her role US drama series Suits and would demand much higher fees if she were to return to acting.
Harry and Meghan currently benefit from around £2 million per year from Prince Charles' Duchy of Cornwall income.
The couple said last night five per cent of their office costs come from the Queen's £82m-a-year funding stream for Royal Family members who carry out official duties.
They also live in the Queen's Frogmore Cottage - recently renovated by taxpayers at a cost of £2.4m - rent free.
Prince Harry, 35, has an estimated personal fortune of around £30 million.
Prince William and Harry were left around £70m in trust by the Queen Mother and around £15m by Princess Diana.
The announcement is understood to have been rushed out after The Sun revealed how the couple planned to move to Canada with baby Archie.
Just hours earlier, Meghan had been pictured not wearing her wedding ring as she visited the The National's Dorfman Theatre in London - where she is a patron .
The Duke, 34, and Duchess, 38, said in their surprise statement: "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.
"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.
"It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment."
In the parting shot on their new website, the couple blasted the 'misconception' Britain's royal correspondents are 'credible sources' and hinted mainstream news outlets would be banned from their events in future.
Harry and Meghan were known to be upset over stories about their use of private jets four times in 11 days while lecturing people to reduce their carbon footprint.
They also received criticism after refurbishing their Grade-II listed home with taxpayers' money.
The Sussexes are said to have felt "unwelcome" in the Royal Family in recent months.
The final straw for Harry and Meghan was the official release of a new royal portrait featuring The Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George.
An insider said: “That picture was the clearest indication that Harry and Meghan are not considered part of the future of the institution. From their point of view from that moment on there was no point hanging around.”