Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, was reportedly left ‘very disappointed’ with Meghan Markle for failing to follow the royal path of sacrifice and duty, an ethos he had adhered to throughout his own life in service to the Crown.
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward revealed in a 2020 interview with Sky News that Philip, who gave up his naval career, birth citizenship, and even his surname to support Queen Elizabeth II, was unable to comprehend why Meghan didn’t do the same after marrying Prince Harry in May 2018.
“I think he’s very, very disappointed because he feels he gave up everything to support the Queen and help the monarchy,” Seward said. “And why can’t Meghan just give up her acting career, support her husband and support the monarchy? He just cannot understand why she couldn’t support Harry and help him rather than wanting to have her voice heard.”
Philip’s disappointment reportedly deepened after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back from royal duties in early 2020. This move triggered a major crisis within the Royal Family.
During the high-stakes Sandringham Summit convened by Queen Elizabeth to resolve the Sussexes’ future, Prince Philip chose to leave the royal estate before the meeting began. His absence, alongside that of Kate Middleton and Camilla, Queen Consort, was seen as a symbolic gesture of his desire to distance himself from the situation.
“He simply doesn’t want to get involved any more,” Seward remarked. “It irritates him hugely. He just wanted to wash his hands of the whole sorry affair.”
Philip’s stern stance was rooted in his unwavering sense of duty. Even before his marriage, he had renounced his Greek and Danish royal titles and adopted the surname Mountbatten to align with British expectations. His life, largely lived in the shadow of his wife’s reign, stood in stark contrast to Meghan’s pursuit of independence.
As Meghan remained in Canada with baby Archie during the Sandringham discussions, her reported frustration over being excluded from the talks only added to the tension.
Though Prince Philip rarely voiced his personal feelings publicly, those close to him say his frustration stemmed not from personal animosity, but from a lifelong belief in loyalty, duty, and self-sacrifice—values he felt Meghan had failed to embrace.