The Prince William Statement That Meghan Markle Said Left Her in Tears

A joint statement issued by Prince William and Prince Harry in January 2020 became one of the final flashpoints before the Sussexes stepped away from royal duties. According to Harry, Meghan Markle was left in floods of tears after learning that a statement had been released in both brothers’ names without his approval.

The episode, revisited in the couple’s Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, offers a glimpse into how deeply relations between the Sussexes and the wider royal family had deteriorated before their move away from the U.K.

The statement at the center of the dispute

The controversy unfolded on January 13, 2020, as the royal family was dealing with Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from their roles as senior working royals.

A British newspaper report had suggested that William’s alleged bullying was partly responsible for Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave. William and Harry responded with a rare joint statement denying the report, describing it as false and saying that the use of inflammatory language about their relationship was offensive and potentially harmful.

The statement was released ahead of the Sandringham discussions about the Sussexes’ future. According to an archival note published with the statement, Harry was not informed about it before it was issued.

For Harry, the lack of consultation became another source of frustration at a time when his relationship with William was already under considerable strain.

Harry recalled Meghan’s reaction

The incident was discussed in the fifth episode of Harry & Meghan, released by Netflix in December 2022.

Harry described what he believed was a growing divide between himself and William. He said the situation had created a wedge between the brothers, with William increasingly aligned with the institution he was expected to one day lead.

Harry also recalled discovering that a joint statement had been released in his name and William’s after the meeting.

He said he was shocked that no one had asked for his permission before his name was attached to it. Harry then called Meghan and told her what had happened.

According to his account, Meghan burst into tears. Harry said she was particularly upset because, in his view, the Palace had acted quickly to defend William against the bullying allegations, while he and Meghan had felt insufficiently protected over the previous three years.

Harry ultimately described the episode as part of the reason the couple concluded that they needed to leave.

What happened after Megxit

The January 2020 statement came during an increasingly turbulent period for the royal family.

Harry and Meghan had announced their intention to step back from senior royal duties and become financially independent, while dividing their time between Britain and North America. The Sandringham meeting was intended to work out what their future relationship with the monarchy would look like.

The couple eventually left Britain and established a new life in North America. In the years that followed, their relationship with William, Catherine, and other members of the royal family remained strained.

Harry and Meghan also spoke publicly about their experiences within the monarchy through interviews, the Netflix documentary and Harry’s memoir Spare.

Those revelations drew criticism from some royal commentators, who argued that the couple’s decision to discuss private family disputes publicly had further damaged the image of the monarchy as a united family.

Royal historian Dr. Ed Owens made that argument on the Pod Save the King podcast in 2023. He said the Sussexes had spent years publicly discussing family tensions and that doing so had damaged the long-standing image of a harmonious family monarchy.

The Sussexes’ return to Britain

The story has taken another turn in 2026.

After spending years in the United States, Harry and Meghan announced plans to relocate to Britain with their children. Reports in August said the family intended to return to live in the U.K., six years after leaving.

On August 26, 2026, Harry and Meghan arrived in Britain from California with their children, Archie and Lilibet, landing at Birmingham Airport. They are not returning as working royals, and the family is expected to live in Britain privately.

The move has inevitably renewed interest in the long-running rift between the Sussexes and the Waleses.

Whether living in the same country will create an opportunity for the two sides to repair their relationship remains unclear. What is certain is that the tensions surrounding Harry and Meghan’s departure have continued to shape the relationship between the two brothers years after that January 2020 statement was issued.