PRINCE Harry and Meghan’s parting shot at the Queen has been “taken out of context”, according to an Army friend of the Duke.
The couple yesterday hit back at the Queen after she stripped them of their Royal titles, saying: “We can all live a life of service.”
Buckingham Palace announced yesterday that both Meghan and Harry have officially quit the Royal Family with The Duke, 36, losing his military titles.
The Queen today said she was “saddened” after her grandson and the Duchess of Sussex confirmed they would not be returning as working members of the family.
A statement released by the Palace said The Queen wrote to say that it is “not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service”.
But Harry and Meghan hit back in a statement replying: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.
“We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
Now Dean Stott, an old army friend of Harry has said the statement should be “taken in context” of the couples charity work.
Mr Stott, who lives in California, was asked if the statement about ‘service’ being ‘universal’ was a parting shot at the palace on Radio 4’s Today Programme.
He said: “We’re all focusing on them stepping back.
“I made some comments last year that there’s so many positives we can take from this, especially their love for philanthropy.
“Obviously them being within the royal spotlight, there’s a lot of protocol and red tape.
“But actually their decision to step back gives them more opportunity and freedom to do more and help more. So I think [the statement] is probably taken in context.”
Mr Stott was then asked if he believes the “context” is the idea that service can only be defined narrowly, as service to the Crown.
He then agreed, adding: “There’s various ways to do service.
“Obviously that’s been the protocol and what we’ve known up until now. But they’re very much a modern couple and like to do things differently.
“So they see that they can still do a service but in their own way.”
Mr Stott, originally from Aberdeen then went on to talk about that “positives” that come with the couple stepping back.
He said: “It keeps one end of the party happy and Harry and Meghan in the position that they can still be in that public limelight but obviously always giving back.
“What the couple is extremely passionate about is philanthropy.
“We’ve seen it in some of the work that they’ve done already. And I’m very excited about what their Archewell foundation is going to be getting involved with.”
Meghan and Harry last year announced they were quitting as royals, saying they wanted to become financially independent.
Since then, they have moved to the US and signed a string of multi-million pound deals including a rumoured $112 million deal with Netflix.
They have also started their own foundation, Archewell, and launched a podcast series with Spotify believed to be worth £30m.
And they are expected to sit down in a tell-all chat with Oprah Winfrey in an interview to be aired on CBS next month.
It means Harry will no longer hold his military titles including The Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving.
Meghan will also lose her patronages with The Royal National Theatre and The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
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