Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Receive Powerful Support for Royal Exit Despite Major UK U-Turn
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received powerful praise for their decision to walk away from working royal life even as the couple make a significant U-turn by returning to UK with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for an extended period.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior working royals in 2020 before eventually establishing their family home in California, a decision that dramatically changed their relationship with the monarchy.
Now, however, Harry and Meghan are spending an extended period in Britain, with their children settling into school and the couple gradually establishing a new routine in the UK.
Their return does not represent a return to working royal duties, but it has inevitably renewed discussion surrounding their controversial departure and whether their relationship with Britain is entering another chapter.
Amid that renewed attention, Mandana Dayani, an Iranian-American businesswoman who previously served as president of Harry and Meghan’s Archewell organisation, has strongly defended the decision that changed their lives.
According to comments highlighted by the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, Dayani said one reason she was interested in working with the Sussexes was their willingness to challenge an institution they felt was no longer right for them.
“Watching them dissent against this institution and say, ‘This isn’t right for us’, that to me felt really brave,” Dayani said while discussing Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life.
She added: “I had a lot of respect for how they had the courage to do that, because I think that’s really hard to do.”
Dayani’s comments offer a supportive interpretation of one of the most divisive royal decisions of recent years. Harry and Meghan’s exit caused major disruption within the Royal Family and was followed by years of public disagreements.
The Sussexes subsequently discussed their experiences through interviews, Harry’s memoir Spare and their Netflix documentary series, while relations with several senior royals became increasingly strained.
Despite leaving their official positions, Harry and Meghan have continued pursuing charitable and commercial projects independently, including Harry’s extensive involvement with the Invictus Games and Meghan’s lifestyle business.
Their latest move back towards Britain does not reverse the Sandringham agreement that established their position outside the working monarchy. Palace guidance has continued to distinguish their independent lives from official royal service.
Dayani also indicated that her own relationship with Harry and Meghan remains positive despite no longer working at Archewell. “We actually had a really great relationship,” she said. “We still do.”
Her comments therefore arrive at an intriguing moment for the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan may be rebuilding a substantial life in Britain six years after their dramatic departure, but one former senior Archewell figure remains convinced that choosing to leave the royal institution in the first place required considerable courage.
