Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk down the steps after their wedding at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Photo / AP
Meghan Markle's controversial half-sister, Samantha, has given an interview on Sunrise this morning where she divulged on the latest royal scandal.
Samantha, whose father is Thomas Markle, appeared on the Channel 7 breakfast show to declare the Duchess of Sussex was the reason behind the rift in the British royal family.
"I have said that if she will do this to our family, she would do it to yours," she said. "We (her family) all felt, as the world knows, very ghosted.
Samantha Markle, the sister of the Duchess of Sussex, has broken her silence to the world on Sunrise this morning following Harry and Meghan's decision to split from the royal family. https://t.co/G8ooIN7XFd #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/yACoKnJavW
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) January 9, 2020
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"The world mocked me as being jealous and bitter and I was just being very honest in saying, 'look, I love her, she is my sister, but humanitarians and diplomats don't behave like this'."
Samantha, 55, became renowned for blasting her half-sister - who she grew up with but became estranged from as they got older - around the time of Meghan and Harry's royal wedding in 2018, as she wasn't invited to the nuptials.
There was much speculation over whether Meghan's father Thomas, 75, would attend, after it was revealed he staged paparazzi photos of himself for money and gave a string of paid TV interviews.
Thomas ended up boycotting the wedding in Windsor in May 2018 as he was recovering from heart surgery. He reportedly has never met Prince Harry and hasn't spoke to Meghan since.
Samantha used the scandal as a way of proving her point that Meghan had abandoned her family since becoming famous, and after yesterday's news Meghan and Harry were quitting as "senior" royals, she believes she's gained some credibility.
"As I saw protocol being broken and the rift between the royals, especially Harry and William, I thought there was something going on here that contradicts the definition of humanitarian and diplomat," she said.
"I saw divisiveness, I saw selfishness and I thought, 'why isn't she working harder to, you know, bridge the gap with our family and with the royals?'
"Under it all, I can come and say 'I told you so' (but) it is not like that. It is more … I think it is very hurtful for our family to see this because I extended an olive branch and tried to appeal to the heart I thought she had.
"I thought there would be unity moving forward between our family and the royal family.
"It's just been so divisive by every angle that it is unconscionable. I don't understand how she could have allowed this to happen with no remorse."
Samantha also had a stab at the amount of money Meghan had used during her stint as a senior member of the royal family.
"To find out there is going to be this exodus and this attempt at suddenly wanting independence, well, that is great after you, quote, abscond with multiple million dollars from the royal wedding, (and) to say that you are quitting and going to be independent … it is really insulting.
"I'm shocked this is happening to the royal family."
Meghan Markle has reportedly flown back to Canada, leaving her husband Prince Harry to deal with the fallout over their 'abdication' crisis.
According to the Daily Mail after just three days back in the UK, Markle returned to North America, where their eight-month-old son Archie had been left with his nanny. She may stay there for the foreseeable future.
According to the Daily Mail, the Queen has convened a meeting of all four royal households to try and find a 'workable' future role for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, within 'days not weeks'.
Her Majesty, in Sandringham, Prince Charles, in Scotland, and Prince William have been locked in a four-way conference call with Prince Harry, in Windsor, to try and resolve his and Meghan's exit from the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed yesterday that they want to quit public life, though it later emerged the announcement came against the Queen's strict orders.
The couple sent media - and the Royal family - into a tailspin on Wednesday, with their news which including moving part-time to North America.
They planned to "carve out a progressive new role" within the monarchy and would work towards becoming financially independent, "while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen".
The royal pair - Harry is sixth in line to the throne - appear to have gone rogue after it emerged that no members of the Royal family were consulted before the announcement was posted to the pair's Instagram account.
Buckingham Palace quickly released a terse two-line response that suggested the palace had not approved the original post.
"Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through."
British media reported the Queen and other senior royals had not been consulted before her grandson and his wife revealed the move on Wednesday morning.
The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William learned the news when it broke on television, according to the Daily Mail.
They were left feeling "hurt" and "disappointed", sources told the BBC. British tabloid the Sun was told the Queen was "deeply upset" and Princes Charles and William were "incandescent with rage".
"This is a declaration of war on the family. There is fury over how they've done this without any thought for the implications for the institution," a source told the Sun's Dan Wootton.
Wootton - a New Zealand-born journalist - had broken the news a day earlier that the pair were considering moving to Canada and standing down as senior royals.
One source told the Daily Mail the couple had "secretly plotted" their decision while in Canada, also preparing a new website that would be ready to launch on their return.
Attention now turns to analysing the post and the couple's website, Sussexroyal.com, for further clues on their plans.
The Sussexes' intentions to move toward financial independence could prove difficult. Previous members of the Royal Family have faced criticism for "cashing in" on their fame.
The Daily Mail reported that the couple has an estimated $45 million private fortune, but they could make vast amounts through various projects. Barack and Michelle Obama, for example, scored a $65 million advance for a joint book deal.
Public speaking opportunities, TV deals and work as brand ambassadors could help the pair rake in tens of millions annually, experts say.
The new website also says the Sussexes are changing their media approach - including removing themselves from the Royal Rota system. That system privileges certain UK media outlets, giving them advance access to photos and copy.
The couple say the system amplifies incorrect reporting and is no longer relevant in the digital age. They plan instead to use social media to release information and photos, and to engage with different media including grassroots organisations and young journalists.
But while they're stepping back as "senior royals" they are still "dedicated to maximising Her Majesty's legacy both in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth".
View this post on InstagramA post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on
"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.
"We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties.
"Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support."
- NZ Herald
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