Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left their royal duties back in 2020, and have since made a life for themselves with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and five-year-old Princess Lilibet, in the States. According to royal author Simon Vigar, the couple's exit from the royal family could permanently change how future "spares" are treated.
Reflecting on the 2020 Sandringham Summit - where the late Queen, King Charles, and Prince William rejected Harry's proposal for a "half-in, half-out" role - Simon explained how the ultimatum forced the Duke's hand.
Speaking on HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, Simon, author of The Four Wives of Windsor, said: "The Sussexes clearly believed, or Harry believed, that there could be a third way. At the Sandringham Summit, he was told by Elizabeth, Charles and William, 'You're either in or you're out.' At which point he said, 'Okay, we're out.' He saw the door and he went for it."
Looking ahead to how the Prince and Princess of Wales might raise Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis differently, the royal author suggested that a major shift in royal protocol is already underway.
© Instagram"But, there has to be a better way of doing this," he added. "There must be a way that Charlotte and Louis can support their brother in the decades to come and still have their own lives. And that's what Harry thought was on the table, this third way. And then it was quickly taken off the table."
"I think the Sussexes are very important and will be very important. Let's see what Archie and Lilibet do," continued Simon, adding: "We actually don't know whether they're going to use their titles. But they are a Prince and Princess. And I should think, I don't know this for sure, that Catherine and William are talking about it, but William keeps dropping these hints about change, doesn't he?"
Watch the full episode of A Right Royal Podcast below.
Earlier this month, Archie and Lilibet returned to the UK, where they enjoyed a brief reunion with their grandfather King Charles. They last saw their grandfather in person during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
It is understood the Queen, who has a private home near the King's Gloucestershire property, was also among the group. The meeting between Charles and the young Prince and Princess is likely to be interpreted as a sign of the thawing of the relationship between the King and his son Harry.
© InstagramPrince Harry had initially planned to bring his family to the UK while he undertook a week-long series of events promoting charities and organisations close to his heart, including the Invictus Games he founded.
Security issues prevented Meghan and the children from travelling with him during the appearances, but it appears safety concerns were mitigated to allow the visit to Highgrove to take place.
