Many royal watchers remember where they were when they heard that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were stepping back from their roles as working royals. But it wasn’t just fans who were shocked by the news, it seemed that Queen Elizabeth II was caught by surprise as well and that’s why she called for a historic royal summit.
According to an explosive new book, the Duke of Sussex took part in the summit without his wife because Prince William and now-King Charles didn’t trust the duchess.
Who attended the royal summit?
On Jan. 13, 2020, just days after the Sussexes announced their decision to step down, the queen called for a summit. The late monarch summoned then-Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry to her Sandringham residence in what became known as the Sandringham Summit.
Meghan, however, was not in the U.K. at the time but was expected to dial into the summit via video from Canada and join the family discussion. But that didn’t happen.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson later said that Meghan and Harry ultimately decided that it “wasn’t necessary” for her to do so.
Meghan wasn’t included because Charles and William thought she would leak conversations
Royal author and historian Robert Jobson claims that the real reason Meghan didn’t call in is because Harry’s father and brother didn’t trust her.
In his book Our King Charles III — The Man And The Monarch Revealed, Jobson reports that Charles and William feared others could listen in to Meghan’s video link or she would leak parts of their conversation.
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“There was a suggestion that Meghan should join Charles, William, and Harry via video link from Canada, but the queen ruled that her attendance in any form was ‘not necessary’ as Harry would represent her,” Jobson wrote per Express, adding, “It was also felt that a video link wouldn’t be secure, as Charles and William wouldn’t be able to tell if the meeting was being recorded or if Meghan had anyone else listening in as they spoke.”
Following the summit, Queen Elizabeth released a statement that read: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the royal family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
What Harry said happened during the Sandringham Summit
In the fifth episode of Sussexes’ Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, the duchess spoke about not being part of the Sandringham Summit saying: “Imagine a conversation, a roundtable discussion about the future of your life. When the stakes are this high. And you as the mom and the wife and the target, in many regards, aren’t invited to have a seat at the table.”
The prince then gave his side of what went on during the summit and how he was feeling.
“It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me and have my father say things that simply weren’t true, and my grandmother sit there and sort of take it all in,” the duke said.
King Charles and Prince William have not responded to Harry’s claims.
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