Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly became aware of their limited role within the Royal Family after their tour of Australia in 2019. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who attracted significant public attention during the trip, were shown , that his duty was to follow orders. of the institution, despite the attention they attracted.
Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty Magazineshared ideas with the sunexplaining that the couple’s experience during the tour marked a turning point in their understanding of their position. “I think it was a shock to Meghan,” Seward said. “They told him what to do, where to go and how to do it. Despite taking a leading role during the journey, in the grand scheme of the monarchy, she was only a small part of the larger system.”
Seward explained the realization Meghan faced, noting that while she may have taken center stage during the Australian tour, she was reminded of her place within the institution. “She had a starring role in Australia, but she really wasn’t.” Seward continued.. “She was just a cog in the wheel.”
According to Seward, this likely caused frustration for Meghan, as she understood that her role would always be secondary due to her marriage to Prince Harry, who is not the direct heir to the throne. “It was a revelation for her to know that she was always going to be a cog in the wheel because she was married to ‘man number two’ and not ‘man number one’, which would have been (Prince) William. ” Seward said.
The royal commentator suggested that this experience may have contributed to the growing discontent between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family. “I agree with other royal commenters that that was definitely when the rot started to get a little worse,” he added.
The Australian tour, which was widely praised at the time, is now seen by some experts as a pivotal moment in Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the monarchy, marking the beginning of their eventual decision to step back from royal duties.
