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PRINCE Harry revealed huge secrets in a chat about quitting the Royal Family and meeting his wife, an expert has said.
Rhiannon Mills, royal correspondent, recalled how Harry told her he’d “love to move away” during a chat prior to meeting Meghan Markle.
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Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive Show, she described a conversation she had with the Duke of Sussex, 40, during a trip to New Zealand in 2015.
The chat came shortly after the birth of Prince William and Kate’s second child, Princess Charlotte, and their move to Norfolk.
Ms Mills said Harry’s desire to move away from his family came before he met his wife.
She added: “I said to him ‘have you ever thought about moving away?’
“He was like ‘yes, I’d love to. I’d love to move away. But I can’t because of what I need to do to support the Queen.’
“That has just stuck with me forever in terms of, he didn’t say it on camera, he just said it in a really candid chat with me.
“So whenever anyone says to me, that it was Meghan’s fault they left, that conversation always springs to mind because he always had it in him – this potential to jump.
“I think Meghan came along and said, ‘hold my hand and we’ll jump together.'”
Harry also revealed his wish to have children of his own, but said at the time he was halted by “a process you have to go through”.
Ms Mills continued: “Within the interview, I did sort of ask him whatever I wanted to ask him. And I said, Princess Charlotte’s just been born, would you like to have kids?
“He came out with this brilliant line, ‘I’d love to have kids right now, but there’s a process that you have to go through’, to which his communications team took a bit of an intake of breath, like ‘oh my goodness, why did he say that?’
“But then he also went on to say about how he just wanted to have someone alongside him to support him.
“Then a couple of years later, he met Meghan. But that line, it went global, it just went mad, but that was a great trip. That was Harry of old.”
Harry and Meghan tied the knot in a fairytale wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018 – three years after they were introduced to each other by a mutual friend.
The royal couple moved to Frogmore Cottage and welcomed their first child, Prince Archie, May 2019.
But Harry and Meghan made the shock announcement they would be stepping down as senior royals in January 2020.
They moved to California in June later the same year and no longer have an official UK residence.
Her comments come after a smiling Harry gave a thumbs up to Canadian football fans last week.
The duke was interviewed prior to the first half of a CFL football game at the 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Meghan, meanwhile, was spotted with a secret tribute to their children Archie and Lilibet as she appeared at the launch party of her colourist Kadi Lee and her business partner Myka Harris’s new haircare line.
The duchess wore a gorgeous gold necklace emblazoned with her children’s names in .
The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson was also joined by legendary photographer Arthur Edwards on the show.
Why did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step back as senior working royals?
PRINCE Harry has always wanted out of the Royal Family and the repercussions will be felt for years, an expert has claimed.
The Duke of Sussex has lived in California with his wife Meghan Markle since 2020 after they dramatically quit their jobs as working royals and moved across the pond.
Katie Nicholl, who is Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent, told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show that Megxit did not come as a surprise to her.
Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson, the commentator explained: “Anyone who knows Harry is aware he’s always wanted a way out of the Royal Family.
“He’s said multiple times on the record that he wished he’d never been born a prince.
“I think he really is living the life he wants to now. It’s very, very sad that it’s played out the way it has.”
In a statement made on the Sussexes’ Instagram account as they stepped back in 2020, the pair wrote: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.
“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.
“It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.
“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.
“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
They also discussed news that King Charles’ Coronation cost taxpayers £72million in May last year.
But Mr Edwards said the cost was “worth every penny”.
He added: “It was worldwide, everybody watched it throughout the world. It gave our country a massive, massive show of how great we do things.
“I thought it was worth every penny. The preparation for it, the build-up to it, it was wonderful. I thought it was a great day.
“I was so pleased to be there. When I saw them on the balcony wearing their crowns, him and Camilla, I thought ‘well done’.
“I was really pleased. I’m a huge fan of the king. It’s no secret. I really do like him.”
He continued: “It was fabulous. There he was up there with Camilla and I thought it was just brilliant. I think £72m was cheap.”
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