When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their royal roles in 2020, their decision set off a firestorm of opinions around the world. People were split—some backed the couple’s push for independence, while others felt they were abandoning their duty. But what many forget is that this wasn’t the first time a royal tried to balance palace life with personal business.
Back in 2001, Prince Edward—Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son—found himself in a similar storm. He ran a production company called Ardent, and at first, things seemed fine. That is, until one of Ardent’s camera crews was caught filming at St Andrews University, where Prince William had just started school.
The crew was working on an American TV series called The A-Z of Royalty, but the timing and location sparked immediate outrage. The British media pounced, criticizing the breach of privacy, and worse, the fact that it came from within the royal family itself.
According to royal author Katie Nicholl, the press didn’t hold back. And neither did Prince Charles. As Marca reported, he was reportedly furious with his younger brother, calling him a “f***ing idiot” and ordering him to leave the university campus immediately.
The backlash was so intense that Prince Edward ended up stepping down from his position at Ardent in 2002. The company eventually folded completely by 2009.
That moment made one thing clear to the royal family. Trying to juggle personal business with royal duties just doesn’t work. And it’s a lesson that probably came back loud and clear years later when Prince Harry and Meghan decided to step away and build a life outside the institution.
Their departure was different in many ways, but they shared a core issue. The couple wanted financial freedom and the ability to take on personal projects, but it clashed directly with the strict expectations of royal life. The family wasn’t willing to bend, and ultimately, Harry and Meghan walked away.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward took a very different path after the Ardent scandal. He’s now one of the royal family’s most active working members, deeply involved in charitable work and public engagements. That turnaround helped repair his image and solidify his place within the institution.
As for Harry and Meghan, their story is still unfolding. They’ve launched production deals, a podcast, and other business ventures, but their relationship with the royal family remains complicated at best.
Both stories highlight just how tough it is to juggle royal responsibility and personal ambition—and how trying to have it both ways rarely ends well inside The Firm.