Queen Elizabeth Had Planned for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Move to South Africa
Before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their royal roles and moved to North America, Queen Elizabeth had reportedly been considering a different plan for the Sussexes, one that would allow them some freedom and space away from the monarchy, but not a full separation or resignation of duties.
According to Battle of Brothers, a new royal biography from Robert Lacey, a historical consultant for The Crown, the British monarch had intended for her grandson and granddaughter-in-law to spend some time in the Commonwealth country of South Africa, a proposal that was obviously never realized.
"[The Queen] had heard and read much of Harry and Meghan's wish to live an 'ordinary' existence," explains Lacey in an excerpt from his book, which is being serialized by the Daily Mail this week. He also notes that the Queen "could recall such a period in her own life — her 'Malta Moments' between 1949 and 1951, when Philip was serving as a naval officer on the Mediterranean island and she would fly out to stay with him."
"In Malta, Elizabeth had tasted 'normal' life as a young naval officer's wife, not a king's daughter. It had set her up well to come back home and do her duty," Lacey's text continues.
"Modern South Africa, with its black-majority rule, could be just the spot — and the couple themselves seemed interested by the notion. Their relationship had taken flower in Africa after all, so maybe it, or somewhere else in the Commonwealth, might provide their next step. Johannesburg could be their Malta."
But somewhere along the line, the Queen's plans fell apart, as evidenced by Harry and Meghan's new life as non-working members of the royal family, living not in Johannesburg, but L.A.
Battle of Brothers comes out October 20, and is available for pre-order now.
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