Long before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tried to find a compromise that could have avoided ‘Megxit’ one Prince proved that it was impossible to do so. 

In 2020 when Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals, hopes were high within the firm that a halfway point could be found.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed their decision to ‘step back as “senior” members’ was to become more financially independent and to enjoy more privacy from the prying eyes of the media. 

However, over a decade earlier another Prince attempted to pursue commercial interests outside of the Firm while remaining a working royal and quickly discovered that this was a completely incompatible venture.

It’s September 2001, and a fresh-faced Prince William has just started studying at St Andrews university. 

Unsurprisingly, media interest in the young royal was high but the vast majority of the press respected a media embargo designed to let William enjoy his time at university.

That was except for one camera crew that was spotted roaming the campus interviewing several undergraduates.

Embarrassingly for the Royal Family it was soon discovered that the production company behind the cameras was owned by none other than Prince Edward.

In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed their decision to ‘step back as “senior” members’ was to become more financially independent and to enjoy more privacy from the prying eyes of the media 

Prince Edward, over a decade before ‘Megxit’, proved that it was impossible to pursue commercial interests outside of the Firm while remaining a working royal

Prince William during his time as a student at St Andrew’s in 2001. Media interest in the royal was high but the majority of the press respected a media embargo, except for one camera crew

According to royal author Katie Nicholl, the Prince’s production company – Ardent – broke the press embargo to film footage for a new American TV series called The A-Z of Royalty.

Nicholl said: ‘After all the fuss that had been made about protecting William from the media, it was a member of the Royal Family, his uncle, who had broken the rules.

‘The British press could barely contain their glee.’

While the palace only said it was ‘disappointed’ with the incident, the then-Prince Charles was said to be ‘apoplectic’ and could be heard chastising Edward down the phone from outside his study in St James’s Palace.

Broadcaster and Journalist Andrew Neil, who was lord Rector at St Andrew at the time, told Nicholl: ‘I was told from an excellent source that he (Charles) picked up the phone to his brother and called him a “f***ing idiot” and told him in no uncertain terms to get out of the town.’

Edward and his wife Sophie reportedly apologised to Charles personally for the incident afterwards. 

For Ardent the incident was the death knell for Edward’s time running the company with the Prince stepping down in March 2002.

It also announced it would stop making programmes about the royals. At the time, the company had made 22 shows and half had been on the royals, including a documentary about the restoration of Windsor Castle following the fire in 1992.

According to royal author Katie Nicholl, Prince Edward’s production company – Ardent – broke the press embargo film footage for a new American TV series called The A-Z of Royalty

Following the debacle, Prince Charles was said to be ‘apoplectic’ and could be heard chastising Edward down the phone from outside his study in St James’s Palace

Prince Edward at the launch of Ardent. For Ardent the incident was the death knell for Edward’s time running the company with the Prince stepping down in March 2002 and it announced it would stop making programmes about the royals

According to royal author Katie Nicholl (pictured), the Prince’s production company – Ardent – broke the press embargo to film footage for a new American TV series called The A-Z of Royalty

Another saw Edward examine his great uncle, the disgraced King Edward VIII.

Ardent was eventually dissolved completely in 2009.

In her book The Making of a Royal Romance, Nicholl wrote that the debacle proved to Charles that members of the family could ‘not pursue independent careers and also carry out royal duties’.

‘It was his (Charles’) opinion that if Edward ever represented the Royal Family he could not have commercial interests and this story perfectly illustrated why.’

Indeed, 20 years later, the legacy of the St Andrews incident was likely on the minds of senior royals as they attempted to negotiate a deal with Harry and Meghan to accommodate their wishes to step back from their duties. 

During the fateful Sandringham summit it seemed plausible that these wishes could be fulfilled alongside an agreement to represent the Crown at a select number of events every year.

However, according to royal author Valentine Low, any prospects of a soft ‘Megxit’ were scuppered by the Sussex’s for financial reasons.

Writing in his bombshell tell-all book Courtiers, Low claims that Meghan’s desire to ‘earn money for herself’ led the couple to abandon their duties entirely.

In her book The Making of a Royal Romance, Nicholl wrote that the debacle proved to Charles that members of the family could ‘not pursue independent careers and also carry out royal duties’

William meets well-wishers in St Andrews. The media embargo was designed to let William enjoy his time at university

Prince Charles with Edward in 2003. Broadcaster and Journalist Andrew Neil, who was lord Rector at St Andrew at the time, told Nicholl that Charles had  called Edward a ‘f***ing idiot’ and told him in  no uncertain terms ‘to get out of the town’

Meghan at the Invictus Games in May 2025. Free from the shackles of royal protocol, Meghan appears more ambitious than ever with the former Suits actress reportedly hoping to become a billionaire by launching a career in media and as a entrepreneur

Prince Harry in April 2025. The one caveat for the Sussexes continuing royal duties – however small or minor – was that their behaviour must stick to the ‘normal rules about royal behaviour’

Low revealed that during discussions within the family about how to reach a happy middle ground – which could please the whole family – multiple scenarios were explored. 

These ranged from Harry and Meghan ‘having a month a year to do their own thing’ to the couple ‘spending most of their time privately but doing a select number of royal activities’. 

There was a ‘positive atmosphere’ in the room with each party believing a deal was close.

The one caveat for the Sussexes continuing royal duties – however small or minor – was that their behaviour must stick to the ‘normal rules about royal behaviour’. 

Crucially, Low notes that would mean Harry and Meghan could not ‘act or take decisions in order to gain financially’.

Low wrote: ‘Some suspected that in the end she wanted to make money. And the only way she was going to do that was by leaving her royal life behind and going back to America.’

On top of this, the couple wanted the ‘freedom to dip their toes into American politics’, which would represent a major breach of royal protocol for a family with a long history of being staunchly apolitical.

‘There was no way for the two sides to reach an agreement on that point. 

Harry and Meghan at the Sentebale charity polo match in April 2024

‘Crucially, it was the Queen who took the view that unless they were prepared to abide by the restrictions that applied to working members of the Royal Family, they could not be allowed to carry out official duties,’ Low wrote

Meanwhile, since stepping down and free from the shackles of royal protocol, Meghan appears more ambitious than ever with the former Suits actress reportedly hoping to become a billionaire by launching a career in media and as a entrepreneur.

Although in May The Mail On Sunday revealed that Prince Harry is planning to launch his own as-yet-undisclosed commercial venture in the next few months, he remains focused on his charity work. 

Meanwhile, after Edward stepped down from Ardent, he has now become one of the most valuable members of the Royal Family. 

Edward is the patron of over 70 charities and organisations and since 2023 – as the Duke of Edinburgh – he also has patronage of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.