The two things Meghan Markle wanted from the Royal Family - but she couldn't have

Meghan Markle became a member of the Royal Family in 2018 after her high-profile wedding to Prince Harry in Windsor, but her tenure as a Royal proved far briefer than initially expected. Despite her participation in Royal events and engagements, Meghan, aged 43, found life within 'The Firm'—and the resultant publicity—wasn’t aligned with her expectations, leading to both her and Harry, who is now 40, stepping down from their Royal roles less than two years later.

In their departure, they cited a desire for financial independence and greater privacy, ultimately relocating to America in 2020 to pursue these goals.

Nevertheless, some Royal commentators are convinced there were additional factors influencing Meghan's departure from Royal life, including her inability to achieve what she wanted within the Royal hierarchy. Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond conveyed to OK!

magazine: "I have always held the view that Meghan failed to understand that she would never be the top dog in the Royal Family... or even the deputy top dog."

Bond continued, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be in complete control and charge of your life. There's nothing wrong with seeking the limelight. It's just that the Royal Family was the wrong vehicle for her ambitions.", reports the Express.

Echoing this sentiment, another Royal pundit suggested Meghan may not have planned on a long-term commitment to Royal duties.

Royal commentator Phil Dampier expressed his doubts about Meghan Markle's commitment to her new life in the UK from the start. In a discussion with The Sun, he cast skepticism on Meghan's intentions within the Royal Family: "To be honest, I don't think she ever intended to stay in the Royal Family."

He further shared his perspective, "Unfortunately, I think she was prepared to have a wonderful wedding costing millions of pounds, but I don't think her heart was ever really in it, and I think she always planned to leave, so the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and that's what we're seeing now."

Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from Royal duties in 2020, they have settled into their Montecito mansion, enjoying life with their children Archie and Lilibet and venturing into various creative projects such as their Netflix series.

Recently, there has been a noticeable shift, with both Harry and Meghan pursuing solo ventures to carve out individual brands. Renae Smith of Atticism offered her insights on this move to Express.co.uk: "I think their decision to pursue individual brands could indeed work in their favour over the long term, although it's bound to spark a fair amount of public speculation in the short term."

"From a PR perspective, this shift might allow each of them to create distinct brands that better reflect their different priorities and resonate more coherently with their individual audiences."