After talking about a “bumpy” year in her 2019 Christmas Day message, Queen Elizabeth II’s 2020 is not off to a good start. On Wednesday, her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, announced that they are planning to step back as senior members of the royal family, become financially independent, and split their time between the U.K. and North America.
The news was quickly followed by a somewhat contradictory message from Buckingham Palace, noting that “discussions” on the matter were still in the “early stage,” adding that there were “complicated issues” at play and that the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had not yet been decided.
According to People, the Queen is now calling an “emergency meeting” with members of the royal family to try and figure everything out.
A royal source shares, “The Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cambridge have directed their teams to work at pace with governments and the Sussexes’s office to find workable solutions and this is expected to take days, not weeks.
“This has moved from shock and a range of emotions to something more constructive. It is complicated. This is happening very quickly. And the proof in that is the fact that this will take days and not weeks.”
The palaces need to “talk openly with governments” both here and across the Atlantic, the source adds.
“People are trying to work fast through these complicated issues in order to find something that works for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
“The Queen is devastated by the decision, although she had been aware of their struggle the last few months and has been concerned for their well-being and happiness,” a royal source continues to tell ET.
The statement issued by Harry and Meghan, the source says, was “personal” and not sanctioned by the Palace.
“Many family members were very disappointed with the Sussexes,” the source adds, noting that some members of the royal family have called the move “selfish.”
Another insider tells Us Weekly of Harry’s brother William’s reaction: “William was blindsided by Harry and Meghan’s decision and statement.”
The source says of an alleged feud, “There’s still a rift between the two brothers.
“It’s sad because when they were younger, William would be the first person Harry would go to with big news like this.
“William is incredibly hurt, but at the same time he has his own family to focus on and is trying to move forward with his life.”
ET spoke with royal expert Katie Nicholl on Wednesday about the shocking decision.
“Senior members of the royal family, and, yes, I do mean the Queen, were not aware that this statement was coming tonight,” Nicholl told ET. “I think at the Palace the mood is one of deep disappointment, and I don’t think it’s too far to go as to say devastation. Harry is absolutely beloved — not just by the British public and around the world, the Queen adores Harry! And, you know, they were in the early stage of discussions, but the feeling is that Harry and Meghan have gone ahead and issued this statement without full cooperation, without her full blessing and approval.”
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