‘You’ve made your choice’ Judy Finnigan insists Prince Harry is ‘nothing to do with us any more’

When Prince Harry and wife Meghan announced their departure from the Royal Family earlier this year, it was a bold decision, to say the least.

• Judy Finnigan insists Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have 'made their choice' - and it's one they can't go back on
• The broadcaster says that, now Harry has relocated to California, he's 'nothing to do with us any more'
• In other royal news, this is why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to the UK

And TV star and commentator Judy Finnigan thinks it’s one they can’t go back on.

Now it seems a ‘totally private life’ wasn’t what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted and, as they hit headlines in the US, Judy is at the end of her tether, saying,

‘He’s nothing to do with us any more, he’s made his choice. He should get on with making a living in California, relieving his poor papa of the burden of supporting him.’

Once a fan, Judy feels ‘deserted’ by Prince Harry’s decision to walk away from it all in search of a quieter life. Now she warns the prince that he cannot simply undo this decision…

Going back on their word?

Despite vowing to lead a more ‘peaceful’ life with their 14-month-old son Archie – away from the pressure of the global spotlight – Harry and Meghan seem to have made just as many virtual appearances in recent months as before they stepped down from ‘The Firm’.

In his farewell speech, Harry said, ‘I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life.’

Yet the couple have been arguably busier than ever during lockdown. From Meghan’s inspirational speech on racial injustice at the Girl Up 2020 Leadership Summit to Prince Harry addressing the British Empire by stating that the history of the Commonwealth ‘must be acknowledged’ even if it is ‘uncomfortable’, as well as the bombshell biography Finding Freedom released this month, these two have been far from silent.

Now royal expert Victoria Murphy has claimed the couple stepped back as senior royals in order to gain more control.

She explains, ‘[Harry and Meghan] have stepped back, not in search of a totally private life, but a different kind of public life – a public life where they can have more control over who gets access to them and what they spend their time on.’

Judy’s had enough

For Judy, things aren’t that simple, and her patience with ‘privileged’ Harry is wearing thin. She says, ‘Is Prince Harry going to spend the rest of his privileged life lecturing us from across the pond about his latest cause du jour?’

Having made the decision to hole up in an $18 million Hollywood mansion with his family, Judy says ‘he’s made his choice’ and hopes he’ll stop with the ‘princely lectures’ soon enough. ‘Nobody minds shelling out for the royals (OK, a lot DO mind) because we feel we get value for money,’ she says, adding, ‘But, at 35, Harry is not earning his keep. I don’t care, that’s his business, but I really do object to him assuming he has the right to give us princely lectures from the USA. No longer.’

Her favourite

Having always been a huge fan of Prince Harry, Judy took the news of their departure very personally back in January, admitting she felt like a ‘cross mum’.

As a journalist and a broadcaster, she has followed the life of the prince for years. Having watched from the sidelines as he coped with the death of his beloved mother, Princess Diana, and rejoiced when he met the love of his life, Meghan Markle, Harry was Judy’s ‘favourite prince’.

READ MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make first appearance from their new home

With Prince Harry claiming the decision to step back was a ‘leap of faith’ and one that brought him ‘great sadness’, at the time Judy said she believed Meghan was the driving force behind the bold move.

But now it’s Harry’s actions that have left Judy seething. She says, ‘Forgive my irritation. I really like (liked?) Harry, as does the rest of the population of the country he deserted. I don’t mind if he decides he wants to spend his life in Tinseltown rubbing shoulders with movie stars, but I really do wish he would understand that by denying his birthright he’s lost another right – to expect us to pay attention to his chiding words, just because he was once a member of the Royal Family.’