Meghan Markle 'likes to flee when things get heavy' claims close friends: 'It's always her way or the highway'
Meghan Markle's childhood friends aren't all that shocked that the Duchess and her husband Prince Harry have decided to step down as 'senior royals' to become 'financially independent'. In fact, one friend revealed that Meghan's decision to "cut and run" is "typical of her".
The royal couple announced on their official Instagram page on January 8 that they were stepping down from the positions in the royal family.
While the announcement led to a major backlash, Meghan's friend is hardly surprised and even believes the move was instigated by her.
In a recent Daily Mail poll, 71 percent of the people polled said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were wrong to make the announcement on Instagram before telling the Queen of their decision.
An old friend of Meghan told Daily Mail: "I saw this coming. It was just a matter of time. With Meghan, it has always been her way or the highway. She is always the center of the relationship, regardless of Harry's title. She wants to be in the limelight, but under her own terms. Now she will get to make her own rules. It's perfect for her. Meghan likes to flee when things get heavy and observe from afar what she has done.
"I'm sure she wanted to get back to her inner circle (in Canada), and to her new creative team who are behind these plans. She has been able to move fast because this has been planned for months. She is running a campaign. This is not just an exit. It is a long-game strategy that has been set in motion for some time."
The couple has earlier complained of the intrusive media coverage, and Harry himself has claimed that his mental health would be at risk if he did not quit his position as a royal.
As for Meghan's other friends, most of them have defended her publicly.
Sonia Ardakani, the mother of Meghan's closest school friend who is almost like an aunt to the former actress, told Daily Mail: "In a way, I am surprised she has chosen to do this, but we know how independent Meghan is. She deals with business in her own way, and I guess the Queen didn't allow her to do that. Then there is all the attention she is getting. She might have been an actress, but nothing can have prepared her for that. Life seems to have become miserable for her and Harry, and they will remember what happened to Diana. Something must have gone very wrong for her to give all this up. But this is what they have decided, and we have to respect it."
The royal family is currently in talks about the couple's future role with the Queen handling the matter personally.
The 93-year-old monarch was reportedly disappointed by the massive announcement and has reportedly instructed senior courtiers to find "opportunity out of crisis."
As for Meghan, she has returned to Canada with their son Archie.
Meanwhile, Harry has reportedly stayed back in the UK to deal with the fallout, a source told The Mirror that his father Prince Charles believe the Duke of Sussex is at a 'tipping point'.