A former royal household insider is casting fresh light on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from the monarchy, claiming the Duchess of Sussex entered royal life with expectations that quickly soured and fueled deeper tensions inside the family.
Grant Harrold, who served as butler to King Charles from 2004 to 2011, told RadarOnline.com and Page Six that Markle initially believed palace life would resemble a fairy-tale. "I think the problem with Meghan is that she went into the organisation and she assumed that after watching all the Disney princesses that she thought it was going to be like that," Harrold said. "When you join the royal family, you are given rules and protocols to follow."
Harrold argues that Markle's disillusionment accelerated Prince Harry's own estrangement from his father and brother. "As soon as Meghan came into his life, everything changed," he said. "It could be that Harry had his own awakening and suddenly decided he didn't like the organisation, but the problem is that Meghan was with him when it happened. The biggest change in Harry's life is Meghan."
The former palace aide is publishing a book, The Royal Butler, later this month, in which he recounts life in the royal household and shares anecdotes about key turning points. He described Harry and William as "inseparable" during his years in service, saying, "They were walking together, in the pub together, on motorbikes together. Very rarely did they do stuff separately."
The book also reveals Prince Philip's blunt reaction after Harry and Markle's 2018 wedding. "When Prince Philip came out, he turned to the Queen and said, 'Thank f-k that's over,'" Harrold told Page Six. "It was very funny. I think he was speaking for the majority of people, but he was the man who actually said it."
Harrold suggested Meghan often clashed with royal scheduling. He recalled one occasion when she sought to host friends for lunch despite being booked for an engagement planned months in advance. "That's not how it works. You can't change it," he said.
The former aide also addressed the possibility of reconciliation between Harry and King Charles, who reportedly may meet this week. Harrold was skeptical. "The king doesn't trust Harry, because of what Harry has said. He worried that he would use it to his advantage. And he has," he said. "To see that relationship completely destroyed, I do not see them coming back from it."
Harrold further warned that Harry and Meghan's lucrative deals with Netflix, Spotify, and Penguin Random House make any return to the royal fold difficult. "If they reconcile, then fall out again, what's to say there won't be another book, Netflix series or interview about it?" he asked.
The butler also predicted that Prince William, when he ascends to the throne, will push a "reset button" on the monarchy by slimming down the number of working royals. "The monarchy will get more fragile as the years go on," Harrold said. "It's become more of a celebrity thing than a historical firm. Harry was the first celebrity royal."
