Twitter explodes with hilarious memes after Meghan and Harry step down from royal roles

Social media erupted with hysterical memes after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last night announced they were stepping down from the royal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last night ‘pressed the nuclear button’ on their royal careers by announcing they are quitting their frontline roles.

Their dramatic decision was taken without the knowledge of the Queen, Prince Charles or Prince William, who learnt about the announcement via news channels.

The news was shared on the Sussexes’ social media channels, causing a flood of reaction from Twitter and Instagram users. 

The couple, who plan to split their time between Britain and North America, made the bombshell announcement days after returning from a six-week break in Canada. 

Social media erupted with hysterical memes after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they were stepping down from the royal family

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured) last night ‘pressed the nuclear button’ on their royal careers by announcing they are quitting their frontline roles 

A senior royal source said the Queen and her family were ‘deeply disappointed’. Another said the royals were ‘shocked, saddened and downright furious’ at the couple.

In a terse statement, Buckingham Palace said: ‘Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.

‘We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work though.’

Well-placed sources made clear that the shock announcement was a personal statement and ‘members of the family were not consulted on the contents’.

One exasperated aide said: ‘People had bent over backwards for them. They were given the wedding they wanted, the house they wanted, the office they wanted, the money they wanted, the staff they wanted, the tours they wanted and had the backing of their family. What more did they want?’

Another royal source said: ‘It’s deeply unfair to the Queen who doesn’t deserve to be treated this way. It is a shoddy way to treat her. 

‘The family understands that they want to do something different and is perfectly willing to help them. People are just devastated.’

The Mail has been told the couple ‘secretly plotted’ their decision during their stay in Canada, even conspiring to create a new website independent of the Royal Family and ready to launch it when they returned.

The news was shared on the Sussexes’ social media channels, causing a flood of reaction from Twitter and Instagram users

This was without the knowledge of their own loyal UK-based press team.

Negotiations are at such an early stage that the couple still have no idea where they are going to live in North America, although Canada is clearly the favoured option.

Harry and Meghan have, in the words of one aide, ‘no clue’ as to how they will become financially independent – although for the moment are insisting they will continue to take money from the Prince of Wales to fund their official work.

Royals who have tried to go down this route include the Earl and Countess of Wessex, who were forced to give up their television production and PR careers after a series of scandals.

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, who famously said they would go anywhere for a hot meal, and the Duchess of York, who made a string of disastrous business deals that led her to bankruptcy, have learned to their cost that it can be perilous balancing their privileged royal status with business matters.

Harry and Meghan have made no mention of giving up their royal titles or status and insist they will keep Frogmore Cottage, the home that was done up for them with £2.4million of public money. 

They will also keep their state-funded Metropolitan Police protection officers.

Their dramatic decision was taken without the knowledge of the Queen, which itself prompted a series of memes online