Prince Harry initially ‘refused trial period’ before leaving Royals

Prince Harry was so keen on quitting the royal family that he initially refused the offer of a trial period which could have seen him and Meghan return to the UK after Megxit, royal sources have claimed.

The review was insisted upon by courtiers and other royals, with the Queen keen to let Harry know he could return to the fold if he changed his mind. 

However, the Duke of Sussex was keen to make a ‘clean break’ and had to be persuaded to agree to the trial period. 

A source said: ‘He was adamantly opposed to the review process.’

Harry is thought to have been against the idea because it came from ‘the institution’ and he feared that a review would lessen the impact of their departure, allowing the media to write they could return. 

The Queen

The Queen wanted to include a review period that would allow Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to return to the royal family following Megxit – though Harry initially refused the offer

According to bombshell biography Finding Freedom, Harry believed the ‘old guard’ at Buckingham Palace disliked Meghan and wanted to make her life difficult. 

That belief is thought to have fuelled his desire to not include a review option in Megxit. 

The latest claims come after days of revelation from the Finding Freedom biography, which has laid bare Harry and Meghan’s increasingly fractious relationship with the palace.

The book has aired the divisions between Prince Harry and other royals, including his brother Prince William, with a source admitting: ‘People are aware that this does not look good for anyone.’

However, some have suggested that the revelations aren’t as bad as expected, according to the Times. 

It was reported that the book, which Harry and Meghan insisted had nothing to do with them, had ‘torpedoed’ their chances of returning to the royal family after the trial period. 

However, sources have now refuted the idea, pointing out that the Sussexes have shown no sign of wanting to return from California while revealing that Harry had been opposed to the review in the first place.  

One said that ‘under no circumstances would they ever admit ‘this was a big mistake’.’ 

However, a source close to Harry and Meghan said: ‘Do I rule out them taking on roles for the family in the future? Absolutely not.

The biography, written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, also revealed Harry had 'grown frustrated' that he and Meghan 'often took a back seat to other family members,' including his father and brother. Pictured: The royal family after the annual Commonwealth Service in March

The biography, written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, also revealed Harry had ‘grown frustrated’ that he and Meghan ‘often took a back seat to other family members,’ including his father and brother. Pictured: The royal family after the annual Commonwealth Service in March

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's biography is already a hit. Pictured, the couple in London in March

Finding Freedom, by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, is not released until August 11 but is already top of the media giant's bestsellers list as royal fans rush to pre-order their copy

Finding Freedom, by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, is not released until August 11 but is already top of the media giant’s bestsellers list as royal fans rush to pre-order their copy. The book is at number 14 on the US chart at the time of writing. Left, the couple in March

‘But a full-scale return soon is not likely. That is not down to animosity or anything like that. They have not yet reached what they were seeking to do.’

They also insisted that Harry and William’s relationship isn’t as bad as portrayed by the book.  

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s biography is already the bestselling book on Amazon UK, two weeks ahead of its release.

Finding Freedom, by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, is not released until August 11 but is already top of the media giant’s bestsellers list as royal fans rush to pre-order their copy. The book is at number 14 on the US chart at the time of writing.

Scobie and Duran they have spoken to more than 100 sources including ‘close friends of Harry and Meghan’s, royal aides and palace staff (past and present)’, with all the information in the book having ‘at least two sources.’

Prince Charles, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry arrive for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in 2018

Prince Charles, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry arrive for the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in 2018

They deny giving any interviews or contributing to the book directly, but the intimate nature of some details raises questions over who the sources were – and whether Harry and Megan gave them their blessing before they revealed such closely guarded insights to the couple’s private lives.

In the latest extract, they delved deep into the story of how Harry and Meghan became a couple, their first dates, her first visit to Kensington Palace and how Harry said ‘I love you’ just three months into their relationship, to which Meghan quickly responded with ‘I love you, too’.

The book has also discussed Harry and William’s relationship, as well as the Duke of Sussex’s relationship with his father.  

Harry felt Prince Charles valued his own public image above their father-son relationship, the biography claimed. 

Harry was also ‘p****d off’ with ‘snob’ William as he was warned to take things slow with ‘this girl’ Meghan.

And William reportedly questioned Meghan’s intentions and feared that Duke of Sussex was being ‘blindsided by lust’.