Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly left King Charles “crushed” with a major announcement that would shift the focus of royal watchers worldwide.
The couple, now married for six years, first met in July 2016 but kept their relationship under wraps for several months.
By October, rumors about Harry’s love life began to swirl, and a close friend confirmed to PEOPLE that the two had been quietly dating for a few months.
At the time, Prince of Wales was preparing for a critical diplomatic meeting with the King of Bahrain during a delicate tour of the Persian Gulf.
According to royal biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, authors of Finding Freedom, the King’s team had meticulously planned the tour, hoping it would garner widespread media coverage.
However, the timing of Harry and Meghan’s relationship going public is said to have overshadowed the event, leaving the future monarch feeling sidelined.
The timing of the announcement sent shockwaves through royal circles, as the 75-year-old monarch, then the Prince of Wales, feared that the couple’s revelation would dominate headlines and overshadow his carefully planned diplomatic tour of the Gulf.
According to The Mirror, Charles received just 20 minutes’ notice before Harry’s statement was released, confirming his relationship with Meghan and condemning the media’s treatment of her.
The statement, issued by Kensington Palace, effectively shifted the spotlight away from the tour, which had been months in the making.
In Finding Freedom, royal authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand noted the devastating impact on Charles’s team.
“It was a pivotal moment that had been months in the making,” the authors wrote, noting that the Clarence House team, who had carefully planned the tour with hopes of extensive media attention.
