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Royal critics have been harsh about Prince Harry and Meghan Markleexiting the royal family to pursue their own careers and become independent of the palace. However, they weren’t the first senior members of the royal family to do this as Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Edinburgh were the ones to pave the way for the Sussexes years before.
A new British documentary, Prince Edward: Will He Change the Royals?, examines how Prince Edward’s former film company, Ardent Productions, and Sophie’s PR “money-making careers” were causing all sorts of problems for the royal family. It got so bad that the couple was “lambasted for trying to cash in on royal links,” according to the Daily Mail, so Queen Elizabeth II had to do something about it quickly.
She reportedly paid the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh over $317,000 to retire from their jobs in 2002 and join the senior royal roster full-time. “As an effective sweetener, she gave them £250,000 in compensation, if you like,” journalist Emily Andrews said in the documentary. “There are parallels between Sophie and Edward and Harry and Meghan. I mean Sophie and Edward were the forerunners of trying to balance their royal career with actual money-making careers.”
While Harry and Meghan chose to leave the royal ranks for good, Edward and Sophie have been praised as some of the hardest-working family members, much to the chagrin of Kate Middleton and Prince William. Phil Dampier, author of What’s in the Queen’s Handbag?: And Other Royal Secrets, noted to the Daily Mail that “Sophie became a favorite of the late Queen” and Charles understands that the couple is “a safe pair of hands” to carry out royal duties. While Edward and Sophie received their royal happy ending, it’s hard to believe Harry and Meghan would have been treated the same way if they had stayed in their senior roles. It was a no-win situation.
Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.
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