Six years ago today, the Royal Family was plunged into crisis by a seismic announcement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their decision to step back from official duties and relocate to North America triggered urgent talks, known as the Sandringham Summit, which laid bare deep-seated tensions within the Firm.
The Summit That Sparked Royal Fury
In January 2020, just days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle declared their intention to quit as working royals, the late Queen Elizabeth II summoned her grandson back to the UK. The purpose was to negotiate the terms of their exit in a high-stakes meeting at the Norfolk estate. While Meghan remained in Canada with their son Archie, Harry faced the monarch, his father the then-Prince Charles, and his brother Prince William.
However, one key figure was conspicuously and deliberately absent. According to revelations in a new Channel 5 documentary, Megxit: Inside the Sandringham Summit, Prince Philip was so incensed by his grandson's actions that he refused to attend the crisis talks or even see Harry.
A Grandfather's 'Gruff Tenderness' Turned to Anger
Royal author Andrew Morton, featured in the documentary, explained the Duke of Edinburgh's mindset. "Prince Philip is someone who doesn't take fools gladly," Morton stated, "and he was horrified that they had come to a situation where the Royal Family were deciding whether to split up or not."
Journalist Emily Andrews elaborated on the depth of Philip's feelings. "Philip was so angry that he refused to even be there," she said. "I was told that he just couldn't bring himself to see his grandson, he thought it was a huge dereliction of duty." His response was to leave Sandringham altogether rather than confront Harry.
This reaction was particularly poignant given Philip's historically close bond with his grandsons. He was a pillar of support for both Harry and William following the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. Author Tina Brown noted that Philip, who experienced maternal separation himself, offered the boys "gruff tenderness" and distraction through outdoor activities at Balmoral.
A Rift Left Unhealed
The fallout from the summit and Harry's subsequent life in California cast a long shadow. Prince Philip passed away in April 2021, just one month after the Sussexes' explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry returned to the UK for his grandfather's funeral, a sombre event limited by COVID-19 restrictions.
The documentary suggests the Sandringham Summit was a definitive turning point, not just in the Sussexes' relationship with the institution, but also in personal family dynamics. The refusal of a once-supportive grandfather to be in the same room underscores the profound sense of betrayal and disappointment felt at the highest levels of the monarchy over the Megxit decision.
Six years on, the events of that January day continue to resonate, highlighting the enduring personal cost of the royal rift that began with a bombshell announcement and a summit from which one of the family's most steadfast members felt compelled to walk away.
