The week began with reports Prince William had broken his silence to a friend about his brother’s plans to step back from royal duties.
The Sunday Times reported William had said he hoped the time would come again when the brothers would be “singing from the same page”.
“I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that anymore; we’re separate entities. I’m sad about that,” he said to the friend.
Meanwhile, there was talk a tell-all interview from the Sussexes could be in the works, with rumours swirling the pair were preparing to sit down with talk show host Gayle King.
Journalist and friend of Harry and Meghan, Tom Bradby said an interview could be very damaging to other members of the Royal Family, as there was “no doubt Harry and Meghan feel they have been driven out”.
“I have some idea of what might be aired in a full, no-holds-barred sit-down interview and I don’t think it would be pretty,” said Bradby.
As well as talk of a tell-all, there had been reports Meghan had signed a deal with Disney to record a voiceover in exchange for a donation to a wildlife charity.
A video then resurfaced showing Prince Harry pitching his wife’s voiceover talents to the media company’s CEO.
While attending the premier of Disney’s live-action remake of The Lion King, Prince Harry chatted with Bob Iger while Meghan conversed with Beyonce nearby.
Harry was overheard telling Iger that Meghan was “really interested” in doing voiceovers.
All of this took place as royal watchers were gearing up for the Queen’s emergency meeting, scheduled for Monday afternoon local time.
Shortly before the meeting, Prince Harry and Prince William released a joint statement condemning a report by The Times stating “bullying” by the latter prompted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back from royal duties.
“For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful,” read the statement.
A joint statement from the spokespeople of Prince William and Prince Harry: pic.twitter.com/H8hqYCHirK
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) January 13, 2020
Then, finally, it was the moment we’d all been waiting for – the Sandringham summit occurred between the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Following the meeting, the Queen released a statement saying she and the royal family had “very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family”.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” read the statement.
“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
Once the summit wrapped up, it was business as usual for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Prince William was praised for using sign language as he gave an MBE to sign language expert Alex Duguid, and then the couple embarked on their first official royal engagement with a visit to the UK city of Bradford.
The drama continued for the Duchess of Sussex however, after court documents were filed indicating her father Thomas Markle could testify against her in her lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday.
The Duchess kept busy despite further strain to her relationship with her dad, leaving the mansion she had been holed up in to visit a women’s centre in Vancouver – her first public outing since the Sussex saga started.
Meghan Markle Surfaces at Women's Center in Vancouver Amid Drama https://t.co/VOJ8LpUt2i
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 15, 2020
To end the week, Buckingham Palace released a statement revealing Harry and Meghan will no longer be referred to as His or Her Royal Highness. The palace confirmed the couple will repay the 2.4 million pounds of taxpayers money they used to renovate Frogmore Cottage, the home gifted to them by the Queen. They will finish up carrying out royal duties from Spring 2020.
