The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not consult the Queen or the Prince of Wales about their announcement they plan to ”step back” from royal life, it has emerged.
Several national newspapers have launched scathing attacks on Harry and Meghan Markle, accusing them of showing no understanding for what their roles entailed and of being disrespectful to the Queen.
The mood at Buckingham Palace is understood to be one of disappointment, with the BBC reporting that senior royals have been “hurt” by the announcement.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not consult with the Queen or the Prince of Wales about the contents of their statement saying they plan to step away from royal life, it has emerged.
It is understood Harry and Meghan had just begun talks with the Queen and Charles about their future roles when they made their decision to go public.
The head of state and her son were only recently informed of the Sussexes intention to explore their public positions as members of the monarchy, and were not aware the statement was due to be issued.
The mood at Buckingham Palace is understood to be one of disappointment, while the BBC has reported that senior royals have been "hurt" by the announcement.
The sequence of events is likely to lead commentators to speculate whether a rift has developed at the heart of the monarchy.
Fans expressed both surprise and support for the couple after they announced they would be stepping back from their duties, Chelsea Ritschel writes.
Fans react to news Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping down
'A trailblazing example of self-care'Harry and Meghan said they will work to become "financially independent", while continuing to "fully support" the Queen.
But Buckingham Palace warned the couple their decision to "step back" from the royal family will be "complicated".
A Palace spokeswoman said: "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."
Graham Smith from the organisation Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, said of Harry and Meghan's decision: "This really is wanting to have your cake and eat it. They have said they will dip in and out of royal duties as it suits them but won't stop taking public money until they find other sources of income.
"To suggest that they're not already financially independent is incredibly crass and belies a sense of self-entitlement and a lack of self-awareness that is common among royals."
"What should be more concerning is that the royal family's star couple have effectively bowed out of their leading role, and that raises questions about the monarchy's future."
Several national newspapers have launched scathing attacks on Harry and Meghan, saying they had shown no understanding of what their roles entailed, and had been disrespectful to the Queen.
The Daily Mirror, one of three papers facing lawsuits from the couple, fumed in its coverage about "an extraordinary day in the history of the royal family".
"Harry has selfishly turned his back on the institution she (the Queen) has fought to modernise and secure for him and his children," Rachael Bletchly wrote in one comment piece.
"And he didn't even have the guts or decency to tell her, or his own father, of the bombshell he was about to drop in their laps."
"Well, good riddance," Ms Bletchly added. "I for one have had a bellyful of Harry's eco-warrior hypocrisy.
"The tragedy is he was once the most loved of the modern royals - from the moment he walked behind his mother's coffin our hearts ached for him. Then he met Meghan. But boy, she changed our Harry."
The Mirror's main editorial rounded on the couple for not first informing the Queen or other family members.
"It shows shocking disregard for a woman whose entire life has been ruled by a sense of public duty and honour," the editorial said. "This is also enormously hurtful to Harry's father and brother, our future kings."
The Daily Mail - whose sister publication the Mail on Sunday is also being sued by the couple - devoted its first 17 pages to the "astonishing statement" by the "rogue royals".
Columnist AN Wilson said their exclusion of the Queen was "an atrocious lapse of judgement", although he added the "abdication" would strengthen the institution of the monarchy.
"The truth is that this charming, intelligent, beautiful woman hadn't a clue what the monarchy really is, or what role minor members of the Royal Family have to play in public life," Mr Wilson wrote of Meghan.
"For his part, Harry perhaps didn't fully understand his own role as a younger son. Both seemed oblivious to the fact that the British monarchy is a delicate constitutional miracle, not a vehicle for its members to press home their views on the subjects that interest them, however noble."
He said the couple would now be free of "the awkward sense that you have no clear role to play in British public life".
Mail columnist Sarah Vine said the couple had "hardly had a chance to understand what the job really entails before handing in their resignation".
"It's almost as though they never really had any intention of trying to stick it out at all, as though right from the start the notion was always there in the back of their minds that if life as Duke and Duchess didn't live up to expectation, they would simply leave," she wrote.
In its main editorial, the Mail said Harry had pressed the "nuclear button" on his royal career, delivering a hammer blow to the Queen, his family, and the monarchy, and tossing years of goodwill built up since the death of his mother Diana "into the hazard".
"To them, it is 'an exciting next step'. To most of us, it sounds like having your cake and eating it. They want the status of being 'senior' Royals but the privacy and freedom of being private citizens," the editorial said.
The Daily Express highlighted the lack of family consultation. Columnist Margaret Holder said the couple had "consistently failed to understand that a tax-paying public expects the Royal Family to be relevant, relatable and value for money".
"In trying to hide the place of Archie's birth and refusing to name his godparents they pushed aside the public in a way not done by any other royals," Ms Holder wrote.
AN Wilson, the Mail columnist, has given an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme in which he called Harry "thick as a plank" and described Kate Middleton as a "Stepford wife".
The Times' editorial said the announcement carried all the signs of the "petulance and hot-headedness for which Prince Harry is sadly becoming well-known".
"This latest outburst appears to have been triggered in part by anger at recent images released by the Palace that signalled a shift to a more slimmed down monarchy," it said. "This included a photo of the Queen with Princes Charles, William and George. Yet given Prince Harry's own publicly aired frustrations with royal life, he can hardly be surprised at his exclusion."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have updated their media relations policy in a dig at the "frequent misreporting" of their activities around the globe, Sabrina Barr reports.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to impose new rules on media coverage in protest at ‘misreporting’
Royals state wish to prevent ‘false impressions’ created by inaccurate storiesThe couple have faced online criticism for not consulting the Queen and the Prince of Wales.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, said, in a since-deleted tweet: "It is now clear that Prince Harry issued his personal statement without consulting the Queen or his father, the Prince of Wales first. Incredible. And unforgivable."
Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan wrote on Twitter: "People say I'm too critical of Meghan Markle - but she ditched her family, ditched her Dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William and has now split him from the Royal Family. I rest my case."
The Queen told Harry and Meghan Markle not to make their announcement, the Evening Standard has reported.
The paper said the Duke of Sussex's apparent refusal partially helps to explain reports of "hurt" and "disappointment" coming from Buckingham Palace over the statement.
Senior courtiers have warned "Harry and Meghan will be punished for this," the Standard reported.
The Duchess of Cambridge is celebrating her 38th birthday amid the Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back as senior royals.
The couple made the announcement on the eve of Kate's birthday. It came amid reports of a rift with her sister-in-law Meghan, which followed a falling out between William and his brother Harry.
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Of over 277,000 mentions of the Harry and Meghan news on social media sent between the announcement last night and 10am this morning, 65 per cent were negative in sentiment and 35 per cent positive, according to data from Brandwatch.
Several celebrities have also weighed in on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision.
Amanda Holden said the country would "lose a bit of sparkle" as a result, adding: "Honestly I don't really understand what all the fuss is about because before Christmas the royal family announced they were going to slim down the royal family, just use the main players, and I would imagine that Harry and Meghan don't consider themselves main players so all they are doing is stepping back, earning their own money and still going to represent us brilliantly abroad.
"I mean I really like them, I hate the fact that they get all this kind of stuff in the press and I think, I suspect that she maybe is, or wants another baby and I'm thinking she doesn't want to go through another year of everyone kind of slagging her off, so yeah I'm all for it. I want them to stay together, I want them to be happy.
"It's a shame because I feel that Harry is the more fun, down to earth one so we'll kind of lose a bit of sparkle I think, but I think we'll be able to watch from a distance. I think they're going to storm it."
The TV star also suggested that had Diana, Princess of Wales lived, she would have "done the same kind of thing" by moving abroad to represent the country "brilliantly across the globe".
Former Strictly Come Dancing champion Stacey Dooley, who has been critical of Meghan's treatment in the press, was among those praising the pair online.
She tweeted: "I've always rated Harry," adding a dancing emoji.
Body positivity activist and actress Jameela Jamil responded to the news by tweeting: "And that folks, is what power looks like," before sharing a crown emoji.
Director Ava DuVernay offered to direct a series of Netflix's The Crown focusing on Meghan and Harry's time in the spotlight.
Responding eagerly to the suggestion on Twitter, she quipped: "If they need a director..."
Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse urged people on social media to avoid racism when discussing the pair's decision.
She said on Twitter: "Well I guess everyone is speaking either about Trump or Meghan & Harry !! I am just really astounded and saddened at the amount of racism I am reading.
"I can understand when people have different opinions but have zero tolerance for RACISM!!!!"
US comedian and actress Amy Schumer quipped on Instagram that she and her husband, celebrity chef Chris Fischer, were also stepping away from their "royal duties".
She captioned a photo of them enjoying a beach holiday: "Chris and I are formally stepping down from our royal duties. We appreciate your support."
The news has also prompted a number of US TV shows to offer Meghan a job.
US satirical news programme The Daily Show posted a mock job advertisement for two new employees.
The post asked that candidates must "Speak impeccable English", "Be very good at waving" and "Have 2+ years experience as a member of the Royal Family".
