Why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Started to Ditch the Royal Family

From supporting cast member on a popular TV series to a bona fide royal: it’s been a whirlwind few years for Meghan Markle — a period in which the 38-year-old duchess has weathered more than her fair share of media storms and online trolls. Now, in a surprising move, she and hubby Prince Harry are stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family, with plans to split their time between the U.K. and North America. It’s undeniable that the former actress is struggling with life in the spotlight. A former UN Ambassador and unapologetic advocate for gender equality, Meghan has since been reduced to a royal prop and tabloid target, with every aspect of her life picked over and analyzed. While some might argue that it comes with the territory when you marry into the world’s most famous Royal Family, few (outside of Diana, Princess of Wales) have had to deal with this high level of scrutiny. From blatantly racist slurs to comments about her parenting skills, who could blame Meghan for packing up and leaving for North America? In fact, we’re rooting for her.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry leave Canada House in London on Jan. 7, 2020.

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Their Shocking Announcement

In a move that has been called unprecedented in "modern royal history", Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, announced their plan to "step back as senior members of the Royal Family." The statement sent shock waves across the U.K. and comes close on the heels of the couple's eight-week extended holiday in British Columbia and less than 24 hours after their visit to Canada House in London on Jan. 7. “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,” the duke and duchess revealed on Instagram. “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." A new home and financial independence? No doubt the Windsor clan have been left reeling at the news. Fingers crossed Harry and Meghan choose Canada as their part-time home — after all, Toronto is where they made their official debut as a couple.

Meghan Markle with her mom, Doria Ragland, the day before her May 2018 nuptials

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Would they move to Los Angeles?

Granted, this is mostly just conjecture at this point, but many royal pundits predict Meghan and Prince Harry will officially pack up and permanently move to her native Los Angeles sometime in 2020, making it entirely possible that her extended eight-week holiday with mom Doria Ragland (which kicked off with American Thanksgiving) was actually a trial run. If true, the royal lovebirds, along with wee Archie, could enjoy a semblance of normality they haven't had since their early days of dating. After all, there's no better way to escape the British press and the oppressive royal institution than to remove yourself from the picture entirely. And, given that Harry is a distant sixth in line to throne, it's no sweat off the Queen's back if her grandson chooses to live outside the Commonwealth (though we imagine it'd be frowned upon).

Kate Middleton, Prince William, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry attend the Christmas church service in 2017

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She skipped Christmas with the Royal Family

After two high-profile Christmas holidays spent at Sandringham with the entire Royal Family, Meghan was ready to skip out on this years festivities entirely — a bold decision given recent tensions within the Windsor clan. With it being little Archie's first Christmas, though, it's understandable that the duchess would want to spend it with her mom. The timing is telling, however, coming on the heels of that explosive viral clip from the ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey and the fact that she and her hubby have been somewhat estranged from the Royal Family in the last few months. Harry himself has admitted he and older brother William are "certainly on different paths. As brothers you have good days, you have bad days."

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex among a crowd of royal watchers at an event

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Lawsuit after lawsuit

Even before she married her prince, Meghan had a rude awakening when it came to living life among British tabloids. From outright lies to shocking racism, Meghan has had to surmount an unfathomable amount of vitriol flung her way simply because she — a confident, biracial American with a career — dared to marry into the revered monarchy. In recent months, both the duchess and Harry have launched separate legal battles combating the wealth of illicit and inaccurate reports regarding their lives and relationship. Meghan is taking the Mail on Sunday to court for unlawfully publishing (and then doctoring) a private letter she sent to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, while Harry is facing off against The Sun and the Daily Mirror over alleged phone hacking. Reminiscent of what his mum, Diana, endured at the hands of the press, Harry told the ITV documentary cameras that he would not be bullied “into playing a game that killed my mum.”

Meghan Markle attends a royal event with Queen Elizabeth

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Rules, rules, rules

We outsiders (read: commoners) often forget the the wealth of stringent rules the Royal Family must follow, but the tabloids and some merciless royal watchers have had a jolly good time pointing out Meghan’s “mistakes” every step of the way. From closing her own car door (gasp!) to not curtsying properly, the duchess has faced more scrutiny and judgment in the last three years than she’s endured her entire life. She's not allowed to cross her legs, must always wear pantyhose, can’t choose where she sits, has to wear light nail polish (dark shades are a major no-no), follow a rigid dress code and hold her teacup correctly. And that's just for starters. Imagine going from your everyday life where you create your own rules and make your own decisions... to this. We'd argue that, considering Meghan's career trajectory – from Deal or No Deal's "suitcase girl" to star of the legal drama Suits to Duchess of Sussex — she has navigated the intricacies of the House of Windsor with grace while still maintaining her individuality by shirking the occasional royal rule.

Meghan Markle takes part in Remembrance Day events on behalf of the Royal Family

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THAT shocking interview

This has become the biggest indication yet at to the duchess's true state of mind. Whether you'd consider yourself a fan of Meghan's or not, there's no denying the heartbreaking impact of her interview for the ITV documentary, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. It went beyond the struggles that come with being a first-time parent – her comment "not many people have asked if I'm OK" speaks to the isolating nature of living the royal life. And it's something that Harry's mum, Diana, would have understood all too well. Not since the former Princess of Wales got candid on TV in 1995 with Martin Bashir, has a royal interview been so closely scrutinized and raised alarm bells. As the royal pair continue to struggle with their ongoing isolation from the rest of the family, lets not kid ourselves — most of this pressure and negativity has unfairly fallen squarely on Meghan’s shoulders. Look at any social media platform and witness actual grown adults picking sides (Team Meghan vs. Team Kate) while disparaging the former actress as clueless and unworthy of her new role. Who needs that?

Prince William and Kate Middleton attend a royal event

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Prince William had certain opinions on their engagement

Let's talk about how Harry and William are drifting apart for a moment. Although we're reluctant to lend credence to most reports that speculate on royal rumours, there seems to be some evidence that William may not have supported Harry's decision to marry Meghan right from the start. He reportedly cautioned his brother that things were moving too quickly when Harry told him he was ready to propose after less than a year of dating. If true, Meghan no doubt felt the brunt of this awkward exchange. Nor does a case like this inspire confidence in building close familial ties with your in-laws. Ever the cautious royal, by comparison William courted Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, for eight long years before the pair finally tied the knot (earning her the not-so-flattering moniker of Waity Katie in the process).

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Dealing with racism

This type of behaviour starts from the top and works its way down (way down, directly into the tabloids). The attacks on Meghan's biracial heritage started early and never relented. Already, baby Archie has been dealt his first media attack in the form of a racist tweet from a since-fired BBC Radio personality. Even within the Royal Family, Meghan no doubt has her back up. Her grandfather-in-law, Prince Philip, is a notorious racist who has made cringe-worthy and outright horrific remarks that span decades. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, either. Philip's son, Prince Andrew (who has been mercifully cancelled due to his direct ties to Jeffrey Epstein), has used certain slurs on more than one occasion. We can’t choose our family (or in-laws, for that matter), but we sure as hell can control how much time we spend avoiding them at all costs.

Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge attend a Remembrance Day ceremony

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A royal rift

The media-dubbed Fab Four is no more. It was a fleeting union; a dynamic foursome (Harry, Meghan, William and Kate) joining forces to head the Royal Foundation as a supportive family unit. But in June 2019, Meghan and Harry announced they'd be starting their own charitable venture, leaving William and Kate to fend for themselves. This, combined with the Sussex's rapid exit from Kensington Palace following their nuptials, first led to the rumours of a royal rift between the brothers and their wives. Although the ITV interview certainly escalated the situation, royal watchers are quick to point out that issues have been simmering below the surface since before Meghan and Harry ever even said "I do."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with infant son, Archie

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She wants to put Archie’s safety first

Given the fate that befell Diana, Princess of Wales, Meghan no doubt desires to raise Archie away from the glare of the paparazzi's lens in London. But it's unlikely that even the relative seclusion of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor is enough. Harry has, on more than one occasion, said he would do everything in his power to protect his family, especially now that he's a father. In the process, the new parents would be teaching their son that his sense of self-worth should never be dictated by the bright lights of fame.

Meghan Markle holding a newborn baby Archie at a family outing

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Online militant parents

From the moment she gave birth in May, Meghan and her parenting skills have been open for debate. For some online trolls, everything from her inability to lose the baby weight at the snap of her fingers (come on, people!) to how she holds her son has been picked apart. It's a sad reality for most famous women — ask any celebrity with a kid and they can list a series of examples of the wrath and judgement they've faced from militant parents hiding behind their keyboards. But there's something more sinister and gleeful in the way Meghan is knocked down by others. Oh, how we forget what it's like to be a first-time parent where you're flying by the seat of your pants and just hoping for the best. We can only hope that the duchess's candid ITV interview softened more than a few cold hearts.