Prince William ‘Incredibly Hurt’ By Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s ‘Irresponsible’ Announcement

Prince William found out about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s plan to “step back” from their royal duties at the same time as the rest of the world. The couple’s decision to not inform the royal family ahead of their scheduled announcement reportedly left the Duke of Cambridge feeling “incredibly hurt” by his younger brother.

Since Meghan married Harry into 2018, the couple has faced constant criticism from the public over their non-traditional decisions. Although the two have taken steps to raise their son, Archie as a private citizen, their announcement stating their plans to retreat from the spotlight was unexpected.

“William is incredibly hurt, but at the same time he has his own family to focus on and is trying to move forward with his life,” a source told Us Weekly.

Meghan and Prince Harry’s announcement comes amid reports the siblings have a strained relationship. “There’s still a rift between the two brothers. It’s sad because when they were younger, William would be the first person Harry would go to with big news like this,” the insider shared.

Although members of the royal family are usually briefed before a big announcement is made, Prince William was not informed about the couple’s decision. “William was blindsided by Harry and Meghan’s decision and statement,” the source revealed.

Royal expert, Richard Fitzwilliams told the outlet that Meghan and Harry’s sudden announcement will cause issues within the royal family. “The other royals didn’t know of the statement,” he said.

“This really is extraordinary. It’s totally irresponsible,” Fitzwilliams added.

On Wednesday, Meghan and Harry released a joint announcement outlining their plans for 2020. “We have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the statement read.

“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.”

Although the couple has not outlined their plans for 2020, Buckingham Palace insisted the Meghan and Prince Harry’s future is still being discussed. “We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” the spokesperson said.