Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made a secret plan just before quitting royal life for good. They were so concerned about the details leaking that they didn’t even tell their nanny about the plans, according to a royal author
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s six-week getaway before sensationally self-exiling from royal life was so covert that not even their nanny knew about their plans, and the fall-out left some staff in tears, a royal author claims.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoyed a trip in Canada during autumn 2019 before travelling back to the UK and revealing their shocking exit in early 2020. During that time, the Sussexes posted a message stating: “Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.”
While their whereabouts were a big secret at the time, the maple leaf emoji included with their Thanksgiving note proved to be a significant clue in hindsight. It also emerged that their son, Archie, would be spending time with Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland during the trip.
Archie didn’t return to the UK until 2022, for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee festivities. The Sussexes returned alone in January 2020, with Meghan leaving a few days after to look after him.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace remained tight-lipped about the couple’s whereabouts in the autumn of 2019 but confirmed the couple wouldn’t be joining the Royal Family at Sandringham for Christmas.
This sparked rumours of a potential royal feud before Harry and Meghan’s bombshell announcement weeks later.
Royal author Valentine Low explored the mystery surrounding Harry and Meghan’s location in the weeks before Megxit extensively in his book, Courters. He penned: “When Harry and Meghan went to Canada for their six-week break in November 2019, their escape was planned with the greatest secrecy.
“When the trip was announced – it was supposed to be ‘family time’ according to the Palace, and definitely should not be seen as a holiday – Meghan was so concerned that news of their destination would leak that the couple would not even tell their nanny, Lorren, where they were going.
“‘What sort of weather should I pack for?’ she asked. According to one source, she did not know where they were going until the plane – a private jet, not Air Canada, as claimed by [the book] Finding Freedom – was in the air. Meanwhile, staff had been growing increasingly suspicious about the couple’s long-term intentions.”
He revealed that palace workers were already growing wary that Harry and Meghan might relocate to America permanently, until Meghan disclosed to one of her staff members that they wouldn’t be returning, , the Express reports.
The writer stated: “The fact that they had taken all their personal belongings with them to Canada, and their two dogs, seemed quite a big hint.
“However, nothing was confirmed until Meghan confided towards the end of the year in a member of her personal staff that they were not coming back.
“The rest of the team did not find out until the couple held a meeting at Buckingham Palace at the beginning of January. They found it hard to accept they were being dumped like that. Some were in tears.”
On 8 January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shocked the world by announcing their decision to step down as senior working royals.
Just a few days later, on 13 January, a royal gathering took place at Sandringham to discuss the matter in what has since been referred to as the “Sandringham Summit”, led by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The meeting saw the late monarch, King Charles, Prince William and Harry in attendance, however Meghan was notably absent.
At the time, it was reported that the Sussexes didn’t deem it “necessary for the duchess to join”.
After the “summit”, the Queen issued a statement saying: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.
“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
