How Princess Diana helped Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave the royal family

If you watched Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s incredibly revealing interview with Oprah, you may still be trying to process all the information that came to light. But the story didn’t just start when the couple tied to knot, effectively bringing Markle into the royal fold. Instead, its origins date back to before Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 — and this revelation is a very clear symbol of a mother’s love and ability to protect her child, even in death.

Prince Harry shared that he was financially cut off from the royal family in 2020, when he and Markle announced they’d step down as working members of the family. He was able to take on the financial burden of losing that fortune and moving his family across the pond, so to speak, because of something his late mother did before she died.

“I’ve got what my mum left me and without that, we would not have been able to do this,” Harry revealed.

But Harry also shared that he believes there’s more to the story than simply receiving his mother’s inheritance. “Touching back on what you asked about what my mum would think of this, I think she saw it coming,” he shared. “I certainly felt her presence throughout this whole process.”

If you felt like your hair was standing on end when Harry shared this information, you’re not alone. Many viewers were deeply affected by the revelation.

Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View, shared her emotional reaction to the news that Princess Diana effectively made it possible for her son and daughter-in-law to flee.

“Mothers everywhere taking this in to our souls,” she tweeted before adding: “Princess Diana took care of her boys. As a mother, I’m in tears. Of admiration.”

Mothers everywhere taking this in to our souls…… https://t.co/AB2yA7g7kg

— Sunny Hostin (@sunny)
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“Harry: ‘Yeah, my family cut me off. And if it wasn’t for the money that my mum left me, Meghan and I wouldn’t have been able to do this and be on our own.’ Even in death, Diana still has Harry’s back. And that really is a beautiful thing. #HarryAndMeghanOnOprah,” one Twitter user posted.

Another added: “If it weren’t for what Princess Diana left Harry, they would’ve been completely vulnerable with no money or security. Harry thinks that perhaps she knew what was coming. Whoa. Moms will look out for you from beyond the grave. #OprahMeghanHarry“.

Of course, not everyone has an inheritance, and many of us have no choice but to make it on our own. But we must consider that Harry and Markle lived with many limitations, many of which affected their ability to pursue independent careers. There’s privilege to acknowledge here, certainly. But ultimately, this is a beautiful story about a mother’s enduring love. While we’ll never truly know if Princess Diana did foresee her son being unable to live as a working member of the royal family, we do know that she looked after him, in the way only a mother can.

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