Harry and Meghan have ‘lobbed huge bomb’ into the monarchy, royal author claims

‘Harry was a hugely popular royal and Meghan was a great asset to the family,’ says biographer Penny Junor

(Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese v)

A royal author has claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from the royal family, a year ago on 31 March 2020, has caused damage to the institution.

Wednesday 31 March marks a year since Harry and Meghan stepped back from the royal family and dropped their HRH titles in what has been dubbed ‘Megxit’.

Royal biographer Penny Junor said: "When Harry and Meghan left a year ago, people were surprised and disappointed because they were a great pair.

"Harry was a hugely popular royal and Meghan was a great asset to the family.

"A year on, I think a lot of people are really angry and think that they have betrayed their family and lobbed a huge bomb into the heart of the institution and sort of taken a swipe at the UK as well."

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While some royal fans have expressed disappointment at the couple’s departure from the royal family, many have commended them for speaking out against The Firm.

During the couple’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this month, Meghan claimed she had experienced suicidal thoughts but had been denied support by the palace, and Harry said a member of the royal family had expressed "concerns" about how dark their son Archie’s skin would be.

In response, the Palace said that the matters discussed would be resolved “privately” but that “recollections” of the events may “vary”.

Following the interview, many high profile names spoke out in support of the couple.

Bernice King, the youngest child of the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King, tweeted at the time: "Royalty is not a shield from the devastation and despair of racism."

Tennis player Serena Williams also backed Meghan, tweeting: "Her words illustrate the pain and cruelty she’s experienced.

"I know first hand the sexism and racism institutions and the media use to vilify women and people of colour to minimise us, to break us down and demonise us."

Author Junor claimed that Harry and Meghan’s departure heralds a bigger royal crisis than the abdication of Edward VIII, who stepped down as king because he wanted to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

"The circumstances are very different. Edward VIII was pushed out, whereas Harry and Meghan chose to leave, but I think this is more damaging," she said.

"It looked as if Edward’s abdication was going to damage the monarchy, but in fact, it didn’t because his brother was ready to step into his shoes, and George VI did a really good job and restored the reputation of the monarchy."

Addressing the couple’s Oprah interview, she added: "These are really terrible accusations that will stick."

Earlier this week, another Hollywood actor who married into the royals told how the intrusion faced by Meghan would be "complete hell".

Two and a Half Men actress Sophie Winkleman married Lord Frederick Windsor, who is the son of one of the Queen’s cousins, Prince Michael, in 2009.

"I don’t think you can compare us. She’s on a humongous, mega, global scale, and that would be my idea of complete hell," she told Insider.

"But I wouldn’t be able to cope with that level of intrusion for one minute. I’ve never been on Facebook, Twitter, any of it. I don’t like the thought of it," she continued.