When Meghan Markle Broke This Promise She Once Made to the Late Queen Elizabeth

When Meghan Markle first met the late Queen Elizabeth, she left a lasting impact. In Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, written by Prince Philip's close friend Gyles Brandreth describes how the Duchess showed her energy and desire for "royal duties," an expression that impressed the Queen. Brandreth wrote, "Meghan was ready for royal duty and, of course, the Queen was delighted by that. She was particularly delighted by the enthusiasm Meghan showed for the Commonwealth and the commitment she made to the Queen to do 'whatever you think we should be doing for the Commonwealth'." However, the promise once made was broken when the Sussexes renounced their royal stand in 2020. 

 As per The UK Mirror, the book further stated: "She did everything she could to make her future granddaughter-in-law feel welcome. She was concerned for future happiness. At their first meeting, the Queen said to Meghan: 'You can carry on being an actress if you like – that’s your profession, after all." The author continued: "She promised the Queen that when it came to the Commonwealth she wouldn’t let Her Majesty down. The Queen liked Meghan and told lots of people so.  Clearly believing in Meghan, the Queen gave her a vital role within the Commonwealth shortly after their wedding. On International Women's Day, Meghan was appointed the Vice President of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust."

When they left their senior positions in early 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex intended to continue their work within the Commonwealth. The couple wrote a statement outlining their plans to resign, "We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages." The Queen, however, vetoed a half-in, half-out approach to royal life and said they could not participate in any royal duties. Meghan and Harry expressed their unhappiness after a year of reviewing their new, non-royal lives. 

An official statement was released by the ex-royal couple's spokesperson saying, "As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal." 

The book also states that Meghan's initial appointment with the late monarch at Windsor Castle was scheduled at the eleventh hour, to the extent that the American actress had to take an instant curtsy course from Prince Harry's aunt, Sarah Ferguson. However, the former Suits star seemed to get along well with the Queen as they spoke about her career and life in Canada. There were also rumors that the Queen allowed Markle to pursue her acting profession if she so desired during their brief 20-minute or less meeting.