Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's departure from the Royal Family gave Queen Elizabeth II one of the biggest surprises of her life.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who decided to step down as royals in 2020 and moved to California with their son Archie, have caused a major crisis in the system.
Royal expert Hugo Vickers told The Sun: “Well, 50 years doesn’t include the abdication, so I suppose Diana’s death in 1997 was the big crisis point.
“But, at the risk of being controversial, will Meghan Markle’s arrival be more important in the long run? Who knows.”
She pointed out how the Sussexes' new life in California was a “huge crisis in the Royal Family”.
Hugo said: “I think it’s quite interesting because I was in Windsor the day they got married and the popularity and goodwill towards them was enormous.
“I don’t think it was the press, she managed to get around that very, very quickly.
“What I find unforgivable is the stress he put the late Queen through in the last years of her life.”
Prince Harry left the royal family in 2020 along with his wife Meghan Markle and their son, Prince Archie. The couple subsequently accused the royal family of displaying racism towards their son and publicly shared their grievances on television. Harry and Meghan now live in California, where they also welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet.
