Prince William furious at Harry and Meghan, thinks departure 'insulting and disrespectful' towards Queen - royal source

Prince William is furious over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from the British Royal Family.

Sources close to Prince William told The Times he believed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been "insulting and disrespectful" to the Queen, and he was "very upset by what has happened".

In a statement on Saturday, Buckingham Palace announced Harry and Meghan "have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen" they wouldn't be returning as working members of the royal family.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had spent the last year in California after stepping down from their roles as senior royals in January 2020.

The two princes were said to have drifted apart over the years, with Harry previously admitting they were "going down different paths", but this decision has reportedly put an extra strain on the relationship.

The couple's departure comes after 99-year-old Prince Philip was admitted to hospital on Tuesday as a precautionary measure after falling ill.

And while Prince Charles reportedly travelled 200 miles to London to visit his ill father in hospital, Harry and Meghan had spent their time recording an interview with 'Queen of All Media' - Oprah Winfrey.

According to the Mail on Sunday, the Queen was 'blindsided' last week when it emerged the couple had agreed to the tell-all interview with the American chat show host.

The couple recorded their interview on Wednesday and Thursday (local time), just hours before they issued their leaving statement.