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Prince Harry said it was ‘terrifying’ to watch his brother Prince William yell at him during his bitter split from the Royal Family, in the latest episodes of the Duke and Duchess of Netflix’s controversial documentary. Sussex which were released on Thursday.
The fourth, fifth and sixth episodes of ‘Harry & Meghan’ cover the couple’s challenges since getting married in 2018, Meghan’s deteriorating mental health and miscarriage in 2020, and ultimately their decision to step down as working family members.
Harry said he originally asked for a ‘half, half out’ arrangement, where Harry and Meghan would have their own jobs but still work to support the Queen, during a crucial family reunion. “But it became very clear very quickly that this goal was not up for discussion or debate,” Harry said.
“It was terrifying to see my brother yell and yell at me, and my dad said things that just weren’t true, and my grandma just sat there quietly and figured it all out,” a- he said, recalling conversations with Prince William, then Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II.
“But you have to understand that from the family’s point of view, especially from your own, there are ways of doing things. And her ultimate mission and purpose, her responsibility, is the institution… she’s going to follow the advice she’s given,” Harry said.
The couple describe throughout the new episodes how they believe their position within the Royal Family has become untenable after constant chasing by the British media and repeated disregard for the couple’s well-being inside the walls. From the palace.
Harry hinted that there was jealousy from other senior royals towards Meghan given the media attention she was initially receiving. “The problem is when someone who gets married, who should be a supporting act, then steals the show or does the job better than the person who was born to do it,” he said.
“It upsets people. It upsets the balance. Because you’ve been led to believe that the only way for your charities to succeed and grow your mission is to make the front page of these newspapers.
The series also discusses Meghan’s deteriorating mental health and her miscarriage in July 2020. “I was pregnant. I really didn’t sleep. The first morning we woke up in our new home was when I had a miscarriage,” Meghan said.
She described having had suicidal thoughts, telling the filmmakers that she believed “this will all end if I’m not here.” And that was the scariest thing about it, it was such a clear thought.
“Lies are one thing. You kind of get used to that when you live with that family,” Harry added. “But what they were doing to her, and the effect it had on her…enough. Enough pain, enough suffering.
“I just did everything I could to make them proud and to really be part of the family,” Meghan said in the fifth episode, talking about her relationship with the other royals. “And then the bubble burst.”
“I realized that I wasn’t just being thrown to the wolves, I was being fed to the wolves,” she said.
The highly anticipated Netflix documentary marks the Sussexes’ latest attempt to reclaim the narrative surrounding their departure from royal life.
It features details of the increasingly strained relationship between Harry and his brother, William, and his father, King Charles III. And it underscores the suggestion that the Royal Family wanted to sideline and isolate the couple, often sowing negative media reports, rather than having them upstage older Royals by popularity.
“My dad said to me, ‘Honey, you can’t face the media. The media will always be the media,” said Harry, describing the Palace’s relationship with the media as a “dirty game”.
CNN has reached out to Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment on the latest episodes of the series.
The culmination of the rift between the royal institution and Harry and Meghan, who were once portrayed by parts of the media as the modernizing force the monarchy needed, was their historic and controversial decision in early 2020 to leave the royal family and leave the UK.
“I wonder what would have happened to us if we hadn’t come out when we did,” Harry said in an interview.
Harry said he spoke to Queen Elizabeth II and arranged to meet her, along with Meghan, before this split was finalized.
“She knew we found it difficult. I’ve spoken to him about it several times, said Harry. But as the meeting approached, Meghan said she received a message from an aide telling them they were not allowed to see the monarch.
“I’ve actually been told I’ve been busy all week,” the Queen then told Harry, according to her recollection. “I was like, wow,” Harry said. “It’s when a family and a family business are in direct conflict…really what they’re doing is preventing a grandson from seeing his grandmother,” Meghan added.
The couple slammed the Queen’s aides but again complimented the late monarch herself, who died aged 96 in September shortly after filming for the series wrapped.
Their documentary and Harry’s upcoming memoir focus more on the difficult relationship between the prince and his father, King Charles.
Thursday’s release follows a series of episodes from last week, in which Prince Harry criticized “unconscious bias” within the family.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health issues, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to connect with a qualified counselor or visit the NSPL website. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Friends all over the world also provide contact details for crisis centers around the world.
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