It’s said Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have recently had a strained relationship with members of the royal family, such as Prince William and Princess Kate

The Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were known as the 'Fab Four'

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The Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were known as the ‘Fab Four’(Image: PA)

The “turning point” in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship with the royal family was just before the couple announced they were leaving for the US, an expert has said.

 

It is understood “something must have happened” before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the bombshell declaration in January 2020. Grant Harrold, a former royal butler, said the couple had a healthy relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales until they quit The Firm, and they became known as the “Fab Four”.

 

But it was reportedly in the months before their announcement when their relationship appeared to sour. Mr Harrold said: “We saw William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan do so many things together initially, but the turning point was a few months before the announcement that they were stepping away from royal duties. They were doing events in the summer prior to that, so something must have happened in between.”

Speaking on behalf of OLBG, Mr Harrold said Prince William was “genuinely happy” his brother had met someone. Photographs taken of the four together in 2019, including a snap at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, captured just how close they were.

Harry and Meghan

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Harry and Meghan quit royal life in 2020(Image: PA)

However, Express US reports “something must have happened” and then Harry and Meghan left the UK. In a statement released when they made this decision, the couple said: “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

“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. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”

READ MORE: Harry and Meghan reveal ‘sensitivity’ by ‘avoiding’ awkward clash with William

It is believed Harry and Meghan did not consult Queen Elizabeth or the then-Prince Charles before releasing their bombshell statement in early 2020. Since then the Duke of Sussex, 41, told The Telegraph: “I don’t think he fully appreciated the impact the statement would have in terms of them not consulting the Queen. He regrets that.”

Harry and Meghan’s bombshell statement led the Queen to issue her own comment, confirming the couple were no longer “full-time working members of the royal family.”

In the statement, she said she would have “preferred” the Sussexes to stay, but admitted she understood the decision and supported their “wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”