Royal family live: meghan and harry stunned at queen's brutal move

MEGHAN AND HARRY: OPRAH WAS 'LAST STRAW' FOR QUEEN SAYS EXPERT The Duke and Duchess of Sussex "didn't see it coming", according to an insider. The monarch, who

opposed a half-in half-out scenario, is said to have stunned the pair with the harsh measures last week as Megxit was confirmed. RELATED ARTICLES The decision has reportedly impacted Meghan

and Harry's upcoming interview with Oprah which now needs to be re-edited. It is understood the former actress and the Queen's grandson spoke about their roles in the monarchy

which have "significantly" changed following filming earlier in the week. CBS wants to re-shoot some of the interview in light of the Megxit announcement, the source said.  The

insider told the Mirror: “When the Duke and Duchess spoke, it was never envisaged they would have their patronages taken away. “They didn’t see it coming and spoke as they still had roles to

play. Royal Family LIVE: Meghan and Harry stunned at Queen's brutal move - insider lifts lid (Image: GETTY/YOUTUBE) “Now, however, other than their titles, they are to have no role in

royal life - a point producers know was not discussed when Winfrey spoke to them. “Neither the Sussexes nor the TV crew saw the fallout of their interview leading to this. Harry and Meghan

thought they would retain their roles. “But things have significantly changed for them since they eagerly sat for Winfrey and poured their hearts out.” Meghan and Harry's interview with

Oprah airs on CBS on March 7. The couple - who are living in California and expecting their second child - quit royal duties in March 2020 for a new life of personal and financial freedom.

FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES: 7.45AM UPDATE: THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED. SEE TODAY'S UPDATES HERE. 5.50AM UPDATE:  PRINCE CHARLES RECALLED THE MOMENT HE FIRST SET EYES ON DIANA IN FRANK

ADMISSION PRINCE Charles recalled the impression that Princess Diana made on him , when the couple first met back in the 1970s. Forty years ago today the Prince of Wales and Diana announced

their engagement after a whirlwind six month courtship. Charles was 32 and his fiancée just 19 as they strolled out arm-in-arm to meet the press in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. It had

been rumoured that the couple had met just 13 times in the six months leading up to their betrothal. However, unbeknown to the public at the time was the fact that Charles and Diana were

already old acquaintances by the time they started dating. 4.30AM UPDATE:  MEGHAN MARKLE ‘WOULD LIKE THE IDEA’ OF PLACENTA TRUFFLES AFTER CALIFORNIA BIRTH MEGHAN MARKLE has recently

announced she is pregnant with her second child, prompting fellow Californian mum Caprice to give her advice on which luxury hospital to chose for the birth. Dancing on Ice star Caprice

Bourret has lifted the lid on the exclusive hospital stays that will likely be available for Meghan Markle when she gives birth later this year. Having welcomed her first child, Archie

Harrison, at London’s Portland Hospital, the Duchess of Sussex could already be looking for another private birth experience in her native state. Caprice described celebrity-favourite

Cedars-Sinai hospital in West Hollywood as “the best of the best”. The £2,000-a-night centre has hosted Hollywood royalty including Eva Longoria, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce. 2.17AM UPDATE:  

SARAH FERGUSON ISSUES CALL FOR ‘RESPECT AND KINDNESS’ AFTER BIRTH OF GRANDSON AUGUST SARAH, Duchess of York, has called for "respect and kindness" to be given to her new grandson.

The 61-year-old mother of princesses Beatrice, 32, and Eugenie, 30, welcomed her first grandchild, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, into the world on February 9. First-time mum Eugenie and

husband Jack Brooksbank, 35, shared his name on Saturday. 12.16AM UPDATE:  PRINCESS MARGARET CHOSE STATEMENT-MAKING ACCESSORY OVER ROYAL CONVENTION AT HER WEDDING PRINCESS Margaret lived up

to her rebellious reputation by choosing to defy royal tradition at her wedding. The glamorous younger sister of the Queen married the British photographer and filmmaker Anthony

Armstrong-Jones on May 6 1960. The royal wedding took place at Westminster Abbey and the Princess was walked down the aisle by her brother-in-law Prince Philip. Margaret chose a

statement-making accessory for her big day and by doing so broke with convention. Instead of wearing a tiara borrowed from the royal collection, the free spirited Princess adorned her head

with the stunning Politmore tiara, which she had purchased at auction a year before her marriage. RELATED ARTICLES 9.30PM UPDATE: QUEEN TOLD 'HISTORY WILL JUDGE HER POORLY' FOR

MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY DECISION The Queen has been warned that her refusal to "compromise" with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's proposals for their future roles will

come back to bite her. The Queen should have considered "other options" when reaching a conclusion on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit, a royal commentator has said. The

monarch received confirmation last week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not be returning as working royals, and so are also forced to give back their remaining patronages and

honours. Royal commentator Peter Hunt spoke to LBC about why this was the wrong decision for the monarch to make. 8.00PM UPDATE: PRINCE GEORGE 'MAY NEVER BE KING' - ROYAL EXPERT

EXPLAINS WHY Prince George is third in line to the throne, but despite being raised to one day wear the crown, there is a chance the young royal will never be king - a royal expert has

explained why. Clive Irving said: "Before you can assess how William, and later George, might work out, you have to allow for the way the monarchy will look under King Charles, and

whether under him it can survive." An extended map of the Royal Family tree (Image: EXPRESS) 6.40PM UPDATE: PRINCE EDWARD SAYS DUKE ‘LOOKING FORWARD’ TO COMING HOME Prince Philip is

“looking forward” to coming home from hospital, Prince Edward said. The Duke of Edinburgh is preparing to stay an eighth night at King Edward VII Hospital after Buckingham Palace confirmed

he has an infection. Speaking to Sky News, Edward said: “As far as I'm aware, he's a lot better... so he's looking forward to getting out which is the most positive thing.” He

added: You can only watch the clock so many times and the walls are only so interesting. "We've had some lovely messages from all sorts of people and we really appreciate that and

so does he, I've been passing them on." 5.55PM UPDATE: PRINCE HARRY TALKS TO QUEEN 'MORE OFTEN' THAN CHARLES OR WILLIAM AS PAIR HAVE UNIQUE BOND Prince Harry’s

"close relationship" with his grandmother, the Queen, means that the Duke is "not going to want to let her down", according to royal commentators. The Queen is the royal

that Prince Harry spends the most time "talking to", according to commentators. The "close relationship" between the grandmother and grandson was analysed following the

Duke and Duchess of Sussex's announcement that they are expecting their second child. ITV Royal Rota podcast hosts Chris Ship and Lizzie Robinson discussed how the Royal Family had been

notified about the new baby. READ MORE: PRINCE HARRY TALKS TO QUEEN 'MORE OFTEN' THAN CHARLES OR WILLIAM AS PAIR HAVE UNIQUE BOND PRINCE PHILIP HEALTH: PRINCE EDWARD SAYS DUKE IS

'A LOT BETTER' 4.45PM UPDATE: MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY ACCUSED OF 'SELF-SERVING' PLOT TO 'COMPETE' WITH THE QUEEN The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have

embraced a world representing the "contrary to everything the Royal Family stands for", according to a royal author. Meghan and Prince Harry have been accused of being

"self-serving" and choosing the political and commercial arena shunned by the Royal Family. Royal biographer Hugo Vickers highlighted what he sees as the main differences between

senior royals and the new Crown's branch in the US. 4.00PM UPDATE: PRINCE HARRY SAYS 'WORLD IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE' AS DUKE PENS HEARTFELT TRIBUTE FROM US Prince Harry has

penned a heartfelt tribute to one of his most beloved patronages working with children with serious health conditions. Prince Harry wrote a deeply personal message as patron of WellChild for

the charity's 2019-2020 report. In his letter, the Duke of Sussex paid tribute to the speedy reaction and tireless efforts by volunteers and staff at the charity in the wake of the

coronavirus pandemic, which allowed WellChild to continue supporting sick children and their family at a crucial time.  He wrote: "The world is a very different place today because of

the COVID-19 pandemic. "We’ve been forced to collectively reckon with a global health crisis of which there is no modern comparison. "It’s taken a steadfast, coordinated effort

across communities and countries to get ourselves to a point where we can fight this virus, where we can beat this virus.  The line of succession to the throne (Image: EXPRESS) 3.10PM

UPDATE: BUCKINGHAM PALACE ISSUES UPDATE ON PRINCE PHILIP Prince Philip will remain in hospital for “several days” and is receiving treatment for an “infection”, Buckingham Palace said. In a

short statement, the palace said: "The Duke of Edinburgh remains at King Edward VII's Hospital where he is receiving medical attention for an infection. "He is comfortable and

responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days." 2.30PM UPDATE: MEGHAN AND HARRY MOCKED OVER LATEST APPEARANCE Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's

latest appearance has been branded "enough to put you off your breakfast" by one commentator. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex briefly featured in a promotional Spotify video on

Monday after striking a lucrative podcast deal with the audio streaming service last year. But conservative commentator Darren Grimes took to Twitter to mock Meghan and Harry over their

first appearance since Megxit was confirmed to be permanent. Mr Grimes said: "Prince Harry finishing Meghan’s sentence with 'that inspire, challenge and educate', as part of

their new podcast promotion, will be enough to put you off your breakfast!" The Duke and Duchess of Sussex briefly featured in a promotional Spotify video after striking a lucrative

podcast deal with the audio streaming service last year (Image: SPOTIFY) 1.15PM UPDATE: MEGHAN AND HARRY'S 'HORRIBLY DISRESPECTFUL' RETORT TO QUEEN DEFENDED Meghan Markle and

Prince Harry's latest statement on service should be "taken in context" of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's love for philanthropy and the charity work they'll be

able to do following Megxit, according to a friend. Former British Special Forces soldier Harry Dean Stott told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "We’re all focusing on them stepping

back. "I made some comments last year that there are so many positives we can take from this, especially their love for philanthropy. "Obviously them being within the royal

spotlight, there’s a lot of protocol and red tape. "But actually, their decision to step back gives them more opportunity and freedom to do more and help more. So I think [the

statement] is probably taken in context." 11.50AM UPDATE: QUEEN 'WON'T STRIP HARRY ROYAL STATUS' AS FEARS IT MAY SET 'INTOLERABLE PRECEDENT' Asked if Prince

Harry could be stripped of his spot in the line of succession, constitutional expert Iain MacMarthanne told Express.co.uk: "Something of a tradition has emerged relating to monarchical

‘stories of the day’. "Those with whatever interest in them are whipped up into a storm (usually in a teacup), temperatures are taken, action is called for - often radical, time passes,

and then a new story is found and the cycle begins again, with the previous story being forgotten." According to Mr MacMarthanne, removing Harry from the line of succession would

create an "intolerable precedent" and that it was "easier said than done." Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused of a "calculated snub" to the Queen

with the date of their Oprah Winfrey interview (Image: GETTY) 10.30AM UPDATE: WILLIAM MAKES PRIVATE DONATION TO CHARITY AFTER 'HORRIFIC' ATTACK Prince William made a private

donation to a charity in the wake of an attack that killed six park rangers in January, it has emerged. William, who previously spoke of his shock and anguish at the "horrendous"

attack in Congo's Virunga National Park, sent mourning families a private contribution. Neither the Duke of Cambridge or Kensington Palace spoke about William's gesture, which only

came to light only after a charity spoke about it. 10.10AM UPDATE: MEGHAN AND HARRY ACCUSED OF 'CALCULATED SNUB' TO QUEEN Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused of a

"calculated snub" to the Queen with the date of their Oprah Winfrey interview. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are giving a bombshell interview to the US chat show host, which airs

on March 7. But the Queen and other members of the Royal Family are to take part in a special television programme celebrating the Commonwealth that day. The Daily Mail's Saturday diary

editor Richard Eden questioned why Meghan and Harry agreed to the date. The royal commentator tweeted: "If Harry and #Meghan cared about the Commonwealth, why did they agree to this

date for their big #Oprah interview? Seems like a calculated snub to me. #royal." The Duke of Edinburgh has spent a week in hospital as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell

(Image: GETTY) 9.25AM UPDATE: MEGHAN AND HARRY SHAMED FOR 'ATTACKING QUEEN AS PHILIP LIES IN HOSPITAL' Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have condemned for appearing to hit back at

the Queen's statement on the loss of their royal patronages - as Prince Philip remains unwell in hospital. Australian conservative social and political commentator Andrew Bolton wrote

in the Herald Sun: "This is the couple who claim on their website to represent 'compassion in action', yet last week - as Philip lay in hospital - attacked his wife for

removing the last of their royal patronages after waiting vainly for a year for them to return to a 'life of service' to their nation. "'We can all live a life of

service', sniped the runaway royals, 'service is universal'. "Yet the service they offered Britain was an in-our-spare-moment kind that diminished the Royal Family and

the notion of 'duty'." 8.40AM UPDATE: QUEEN MAY HAVE CHOSEN REPLACEMENTS FOR MEGHAN AND HARRY’S ROYAL ROLES ‘LONG AGO’ The Queen is set to confirm which Royal Family members

will be taking on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal patronages and titles in the coming weeks. Following the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex’s formal exit from The Firm last Friday,

Her Majesty is set to redistribute the titles the couple left behind. The Duke gave up his patronage of the Rugby Football League (RFL) and Rugby Football Union along with his honorary

military titles, while Meghan relinquished her patronage of the National Theatre. According to the Mirror, the Queen is believed to have picked “long ago” which royals will take over the

couple’s roles. 8.15AM UPDATE: HARRY AND PRINCE WILLIAM’S RELATIONSHIP ‘NOT WHERE IT WAS’ Prince Harry and Prince William's relationship is "not where it once was" following a

tumultuous year for the royal brothers, according to a source close to the Sussexes. Speaking to ET Online, the source said: “It's not where it once was. "However, they are

brothers and will support each other and are committed to coming together to honour their late mother's legacy.” 7.30AM UPDATE: MEGHAN AND HARRY ‘HATERS’ WILL BE ‘DISAPPOINTED’ AFTER

OPRAH INTERVIEW Writing in the Mirror, journalist Darren Lewis said: “Anyone who watched The Oprah Winfrey Show during the Eighties and Nineties will know the Mississippi-born producer,

author and actress is a woman trusted by great swathes of middle and working class America. “A mother figure with the strong principles and quiet dignity of Meghan’s own mum, Doria Ragland.

“To listen to the commentators pontificating on the strategy that Oprah will take is to know they have not watched a single one of her shows. “Oprah is gentle, sensitive and understanding.

She is no headline-chasing sensationalist. “She has her own stories to tell about refusing to be silenced, fighting to ensure others have a voice and the unconscious bias to which Meghan has

opened Prince Harry’s eyes.” _(Additional reporting by Katie Harris)_