Harry and the royal family: a six-year feud

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)—Prince Harry and his family have returned to the UK in a shock move back from the United States following a bitter rift within the royal family that exploded publicly in 2020. The relocation could herald a wider reconciliation after their six years of self-imposed exile, but many questions about it remain unclear. Here are the key moments of the royal dispute: - 2019 - One year after Prince Harry and Californian actress Meghan Markle tied the knot, the first clouds began to gather.

The couple sued several British tabloids for invasion of privacy. In a documentary broadcast on British channel ITV, Harry spoke of tensions with his brother Prince William, while Meghan discussed the difficulties she had coping with the pressure of joining the royal family. - 2020 - January 8: Harry and Meghan, who were given the titles duke and duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day, announced on Instagram that they wanted to step back from most of their royal duties.

They revealed they intended to divide their time between the UK and North America and become financially independent. Queen Elizabeth refused the arrangement as proposed. An eventual agreement meant they could no longer use their Royal Highness (HRH) titles and they lost the police protection and public funding they had enjoyed as members of the royal family.

They moved briefly to Vancouver, Canada, before buying a house in Montecito, California. They signed multi-year deals with media platforms Netflix and Spotify worth millions of dollars. - 2021 - March 7: An explosive interview with American talk show queen Oprah Winfrey aired, in which Meghan said she had contemplated suicide after joining the royal family.

The couple also insinuated that the royal family was racist, claiming that a member of the family raised a question about the skin colour of their son before he was born, as Meghan is mixed-race. The palace did not comment, but the interview further damaged hopes for mending ties. September: Harry initiated legal proceedings in connection with the loss of his police protection in the UK.

- 2022 - September 8: Queen Elizabeth II died. Harry travelled to Scotland alone, after the rest of the royal family, because he was not immediately notified. September 10: William and his wife Catherine, Harry and Meghan went together to greet the public in Windsor, tryin…