‘It was my decision’: Prince Harry reveals truth behind Megxit

In a shocking twist, the real instigator behind Prince Harry and Meghan’s departure from the royals has been revealed as the two brothers had a fiery exchange.

The decision to step away from the royal family was not Meghan Markle’s, but Prince Harry’s, the fifth in line to the British throne has revealed.

Speaking in episode five of the Netflix docuseries Harry and Meghan, Prince Harry hit back at suggestions that the move was Meghan’s idea, saying “It was my decision. I had to see it for myself.”

Harry said he had seen caricatures of himself on all fours being led on a leash by Meghan.

“How predictable that the woman is to be blamed for the decision of the couple,” Prince Harry said.

“In fact it was my decision. She never asked to leave. I had to see it for myself. But it’s misogyny at its best,” he said.

WILL, HARRY IN SCREAMING MATCH

Prince William “screamed and shouted” at Prince Harry and Prince Charles said “things that simply weren’t true” during a meeting at Sandringham to discuss Harry and Meghan’s plans to withdraw from the royal family, Prince Harry has claimed.

Speaking in episode five of the Netflix docuseries Harry and Meghan, Harry revealed the first version of the plan that would become known as Megxit entailed the couple living in Canada, fulfilling royal duties on behalf of the Queen, but at their own expense.

Moves to New Zealand and South Africa were also canvassed, with the palace signing off on the latter – but the plan was later leaked to The Times.

“That whole plan was then scrapped, because it’s become a public debate,” Prince Harry said.

Prince William and Prince Harry had a big argument during a meeting about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaving the Royal Family. Picture: Getty Images

The Queen “knew that we were finding things hard,” the Prince said. But an invitation she gave to the couple to come stay was later overturned by palace officials.

When Harry spoke to his grandmother about the change in plans, she said ‘I’ve been told I’m busy all week,” Prince Harry said. “I was like ‘wow’.”

Reports that the couple “blindsided” the Queen were wrong, the couple said, with the discussions playing out over several months.

After Meghan returned to Canada, to be with Archie, Prince Harry was summoned to Sandringham for a meeting to discuss the couple’s plans.

“It was clear that they planned it so you weren’t in the room,” Harry said.

Sandringham has always been a happy place, the Prince said, but the meeting involved “very different circumstances”.

At the meeting, Prince Harry said he was presented with five possible outcomes, representing varying degrees of royal activity. Harry revealed he took option 3 “half in, half out”.

“To have my brother scream and shout at me, and for my father to say things that simply weren’t and for my grandmother to sit there quietly and take it all in … her ultimate goal, mission, slash responsibility, is the institution,” Harry said.

The Sandringham meeting finished without any “solidified action plan,” Harry said.

“The saddest part of it was this wedge with my brother, so he’s now on the institution side, and part of that I get, that’s his inheritance,” Harry said.

A joint statement after the meeting denying William bullied the couple was put out in Harry’s name, but without his sign-off, he said.

“I couldn’t believe it. No one had asked my permission to put my name to something like that,” he said.

“There was no other option at this point,” Harry said.

Originally published as ‘It was my decision’: Prince Harry reveals truth behind Megxit