Meghan Markle’s ‘painful and emotional’ final words to the royal family

Meghan Markle’s short-lived period as a royal was surrounded with a plethora of challenges as the entire phase had been immensely choatic for the former actor. 

However, as the Duchess of Sussex bid adieu to her brief royal life, she delivered a touching and emotional speech for her staff before she headed back to Canada following her final royal engagement.

Amongst those invited to Meghan’s final engagement was Omid Scobie, who co-authored the recently-released bombshell biography on the Sussex pair, Finding Freedom. The private meeting was held between the duchess and the Association of Commonwealth University scholars.

Meghan had discussed climate change with the students in her final address but also used it as a way to say her parting words for the royal family as she became overwhelmed with emotions.

Scobie claimed that Meghan had hugged him as uttered seven painful words for the royal family: "It didn't have to be this way."

Scobie wrote: “Staff who had been with the couple from day one were mourning the end of what was supposed to be a happy story: two people fall in love, get married, have a baby, serve the Queen, the end. Instead, they were leaving the country. As Meghan gave me a final hug goodbye, she said, ‘It didn’t have to be this way’.”

Meghan was said to have been devastated about how things rolled out as she embarked on the next chapter of her life, severing ties with the royals.

Scobie later had written for Harper’s Bazaar, saying that "tears that the duchess had been bravely holding back [were] free to flow among familiar faces".

"The Duchess of Sussex emotionally [bid] much-loved aides farewell, with her flight 'home' to Canada leaving in a matter of hours.”

"Meghan would fly back to Canada on the last commercial flight of the day, eager to be back in Vancouver Island by the morning before Archie wakes up,” he added.