Meghan Markle and Harry 'only sent quit warning to Charles and William 10 minutes before'

Princes Charles and William were only shown Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's bombshell statement 10 minutes before it was officially released, it has been claimed.

The Duke of Sussex reportedly didn't consult his father or older brother at all before telling the world he planned to step back from his role as a senior member of the Royal Family.

The couple announced the news, including that they plan to become financially independent and will split their time between the UK and North America, on their Instagram page with a message to their fans.

According to the Evening Standard , Charles and William were only sent a copy of the statement 10 minutes before it was made public - and they were not given any further information.

Harry didn't consult his dad or brother regarding the life-changing decision (PA Archive/PA Images)

Both are , with the Queen "deeply upset".

An insider told the  Sun : "Their statement was not cleared with anyone. It breaks all protocol. This is a declaration of war on the family.

"There is fury over how they’ve done this without any thought for the implications for the institution. The Queen is deeply upset. The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge are incandescent with rage.

“Courtiers can’t believe it. There are so many unanswered questions but they’ve just up and done it without a thought for anyone else."

The brothers have always seemed extremely close (WENN.com)

The source also claims Meghan and Harry have "exiled themselves" from the family.

Senior courtiers have warned that .

According to the Standard , Harry requested a meeting with his grandmother about his plans and she made it clear that they weren't to announce the decision this week.

However his "apparent refusal" to comply with her instruction has reportedly left her "hurt" and "disappointed".

The Queen is said to be extremely upset (Getty Images)

Shortly after the couple's announcement Buckingham Palace released a short statement about their decision.

The Queen warned of "complicated issues" and said it would take time to work out the details.

It read: "Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.

"We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through."