One of the first things that sways public opinion on the topic of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is their supposed desire for privacy. When they stepped back from the royal family, the pair made it clear that they were seeking a lifestyle removed from the constant gaze of paparazzi lenses, which just so happens to go hand-in-hand with being a member of the royal family.
But three years after stepping back, the Sussexes still have a very deliberate presence in the public arena—they’ve taken part in speaking engagements, attended red carpet events and, of course, they’ve spoken out against the institution they chose to quit. This behaviour has sparked controversy and begged the question: If they quit the royal family because they wanted privacy, why are we still seeing them everywhere?
Now that they’ve partaken in their biggest and most public move yet by releasing their tell-all docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the couple have finally answered that very question with an interesting response.
Why are Prince Harry & Meghan Markle still speaking out if they want privacy?
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have clarified that their original statement announcing their departure from the royal family mentions “nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties”.
In the official statement from their spokesperson, which was released at the same time as Harry & Meghan in December 2022, they added: “Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series. They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion. The facts are right in front of them.”
If you cast your minds back to that fateful January 2020 day when the Sussexes first announced they would be stepping back, the pair carefully wrote: “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.”
They added that they intended to live between both North America and the UK, which would give them the space they needed to “focus on the next chapter”.
And that, as it happens, is exactly what they’ve done. The next chapter has involved the creation of their foundation, Archewell, which has been an umbrella for their various business escapades, including a multi-million deal with Netflix via Archewell Productions.
Their comment about supporting the now-late Queen Elizabeth has rung true as well, in a sense. The pair have said nothing but good things about the former Monarch—Markle even gushed about her respect for the Queen in her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying that she had “always been wonderful to me”.
The Sussexes also named their daughter after Elizabeth II’s childhood nickname, Lilibet.
It’s clear that the wording in the original statement from the Sussexes was meticulously and deliberated planned—yes, they’ve shown support for the Queen herself, but they’ve denounced various elements of the royal institution in the years since. As it turns out, they never told us they wouldn’t.
So yes, while the Duke and Duchess wanted to raise their two children away from the typical media frenzy posed to working royals, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to continue their intended work, a lot of which happens to be in the public eye. Well played indeed.
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