In March 2020, Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex attended the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey, their final engagement before leaving the royal service. But, according to respected royal biographer Robert Lacey, Harry was “enraged” by their treatment at the event.
Mr Lacey said that while William and Kate joined the Queen and other senior royals in the procession, Harry and Meghan were forced to “shuffle to their seats” like the rest of the audience.
Along with Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex, the couple was forced to “take their places on the sidelines.”
Mr Lacey wrote in an updated edition of his Battle of Brothers book that the Sussexes were “punished” for being “so hustling and aggressive” with Megxit.
The royal expert described their removal from the order of service as a “snub in black and white – plainly set out for all to see.”
Mr Lacey added that it would have “cost nothing” to include Harry and Meghan in the service one last time because of their “cruel demotion.”
“When Harry learned that he and Meghan had been so visibly shunted aside on this final appearance, he was furious,” he continued.
“The servitude of a’spare’ – one of the fundamental reasons for this very sad parting of ways – could not have been more starkly illustrated.”
During the service, the Sussexes were seated in the second row behind the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Tensions were visible between the Sussexes and the royals, who are now based in California.
