London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Queen 'didn't want Royal name to be tainted' by Harry and Meghan

Queen 'didn't want Royal name to be tainted' by Harry and Meghan

The Queen stripped Harry and Meghan of their royal patronages to ‘avoid her family’s name being tainted’ while the couple’s response was like ‘flicking two fingers’ at the institution, according to experts.

Royal watchers have been digesting today’s news that the Sussexes will not be returning as working members of the royal family, a year after they first quit the UK to move to the U.S.

Harry’s biographer Angela Levin told the Mirror she was ‘not in the least surprised’ by the monarch’s latest actions.

She said the palace had become concerned at ‘how escapist’ Harry and Meghan had become since leaving the country and this spurred the Queen to act.

‘[The Queen] doesn’t want the royal family’s name to be tainted in that way and this, I think, crossed the red line,’ Ms Levin told the paper.

‘She’s a very patient woman, she’s not a micromanager. She lets her children and grandchildren do what they want up to a certain extent and when they overstep that, she comes down.’

Buckingham Palace announced on Friday that it was not possible for the couple ‘to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service’.

Harry lost his royal rugby patronages, Meghan her patronages of the National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, as well as the couple’s roles with the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

The ‘Megxit’ process has been likened to a messy divorce

Harry and Meghan have been stripped of their Royal patronages


Commentator Peter Hunt told LBC that the Queen could have found a way to allow the couple to continue with their roles and ‘history will judge’ the monarch for her refusal to do this.

Mr Hunt said: ‘My feeling is that where we stand now is actually that history will come to judge the Queen poorly for this decision.’

He added: ‘This is a family decision. This is a decision by a monarch about a grandson.

‘He is her grandson and he is the son of a future king, and a compromise could have been concocted.’

The couple’s response to the news has been seen as ‘flicking two fingers up’ at the Royal family


Mr Hunt said: ‘They could have rewritten the rules if they had chosen but the Queen and the Palace have chosen not to, and I think Harry will be feeling very sad and possibly slightly bitter today.’

A strongly worded statement was released by the Sussexes’ spokesperson upon hearing the news.

They said: ‘As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.’

The pointed final paragraph has been interpreted by some as ‘flicking two fingers’ up at institution of the Royal family.

Harry and Meghan have not been back to the UK for the last year


Royal writer Penny Junor said: ‘It sounds petulant. They sound disappointed and hurt and I can understand that.’

‘It’s sort of two fingers at the institution – the men and women that run it. I don’t think it would be to the Queen because I imagine they think the Queen is being advised, which she is.’

Ms Junor described the latest events as the conclusion to the Megxit process which began a year ago. She likened what’s happened to ‘troubled divorce proceedings’.

Ms Junor said: ‘It does draw a line. It’s hurtful but every divorce is hurtful. This is the decree absolute.

‘People lose things in a divorce. They lose pets, they lose houses, they lose children, and there was no way this was going to end well.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×