The gripping account was published on March 11 by Omid Scobie of Harper Bazaar—a journalist and editor within Harry and Meghan’s inner circle. Scobie found “a couple very much hurting,” amidst their giant leap into the unknown.
And in perhaps the most compelling finding, it appears that Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, felt “forced to give up roles they’re incredibly proud of after sacrificing so much to get there.”
Scobie cites the harsh British tabloid backlash against Meghan and her family as a reason for the pair’s difficult decision to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family in January.
“To say they were crushed is an understatement,” Scobie writes. “It’s a decision that the couple still feel wasn’t necessary, but also wasn’t a surprise, given the lack of support they received as they were relentlessly attacked by sections of the British press with almost daily mistruths and hateful commentary.”
He adds, “While recent tabloid coverage has made it seem like the Sussexes’ half-in-half-out bid was about wanting it all, the reality was a couple who were left with no other choice but to create their own change after being left to fend for themselves against impossible circumstances—even during [Meghan’s] pregnancy.”
Even so, the pair could not have predicted what this choice would cost them. Their relationship with fellow royal couple Prince William and Kate Middleton remains tense, as does their relationship to the Queen—who, following the news, instituted a ban on their use of the word “royal” in any personal branding and stripped the Sussexes of their HRH titles.