By Katherine Tinsley
10:42pm PDT, Sep 8, 2025
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Meghan Markle struggled to adjust to life within the royal fold, but
Queen Elizabeth II hoped the
Suits star might leave her mark on the monarchy. She even tried to sweeten the deal to convince the actress to stay…
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020. According to
Princess Diana's former butler,
Paul Burrell, Queen Elizabeth II likely hoped things had played out differently. "There is no doubt in my mind that she didn't want Harry and Meghan to leave," Burrell
said, according to
DailyMail.com. "She did not want 'Megxit' as it was dubbed, as she knew they would be estranged from her world."
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Before she married
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was best known for her role on
Suits. She retired from acting and abandoned her blog,
The Tig, to focus on her royal duties. However, Paul Burrell claimed Queen Elizabeth II supported the duchess maintaining a professional life outside of the monarchy. "The queen even said to Meghan, 'You can go back to acting if you want to.' She was willing to bend the rules for Meghan, and offered to talk to her whenever she had any problems," he claimed.
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According to Paul Burrell, Queen Elizabeth II viewed Meghan Markle as an asset and wanted her and
Prince Harry to remain within the royal fold. "But she was born into an Edwardian court and was nearly 60 years older than Harry. Her Majesty had lived in a different world from her grandson. How could the queen understand all of Harry's problems? She couldn't," Burrell said.
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Despite
Prince Harry's desperation to leave the firm, he and Queen Elizabeth II had a unique bond. "[They had] a special relationship – particularly because Harry was something of a joker," Paul Burrell claimed. "He didn't always adhere to protocol. Everyone was very stiff and starchy around the queen, which she disliked, but he was relaxed and funny."
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Before they moved to the United States,
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen as the future of the monarchy, along with
Kate Middleton and
Prince William. However, the Sussexes' decision to publicize their family issues after moving to the U.S. has greatly impacted their royal ties. "Harry is now in an exile of his own making. … It is such a shame because William and Harry with their wives were the 'Fab Four' and certainly for a time Harry and Meghan were 'the golden couple.' They had everything," Paul Burrell said.
