The Queen "told Harry 'you work for the monarchy, the monarchy doesn't work for you'"

The Queen reportedly told Prince Harry "you work for the monarchy, the monarchy doesn't work for you" in a sharp rebuke during Megxit talks.

On Friday it was finally confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed their departure from the royal family was permanent.

Since Harry and Meghan quit as senior working royals in March 2020 to earn their own money in the US, they have signed deals with Spotify and Netflix, estimated to be worth more than £100 million.

But the couple were reportedly told that their commercial interests were incompatible with the role of public services who need to remain impartial.

And according to the Daily Mail one official said Her Majesty was blunt in making this clear to her grandson, telling him: "You work for the monarchy, the monarchy doesn't work for you".

"The direction of travel has been clear for a while," one insider told the Mail. "The Queen has been very clear from the start that this 'half in, half out' model demanded by the Sussexes wouldn't work and hasn't deviated from that. Not once.

"Their original idea was to have a 'third way' of being a royal. And the Queen has said quite simply 'no, you can't'.'

Harry and Meghan wanted to retain their formal roles with the military, arts, Commonwealth and sporting organisations, but were informed they would have to relinquish the posts after talks with the Queen and senior royals.

A source said Harry and Meghan had "absolutely, no question" wanted to keep the positions they had lost.

"They do respect the decision but they always made clear they were committed to doing those roles," the source said.

Despite Harry and Meghan confirming their decision to remain in the US for personal and financial freedom, they believed they could still represent the organisations.

Buckingham Palace said all were "saddened" by their decision to permanently step down as working royals, but they remained "much loved members of the family".

Harry, a former Army officer with a passion for the military family, was eager to hold onto his formal links with the UK's Armed Forces.

But he will lose his roles as Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands' Small Ships and Diving.

The announcement came after the 12-month review of the couple's decision to step down as working royals.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty the Queen that they will not be returning as working members of the royal family.

"Following conversations with the duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

"The honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the duke and duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of the royal family.

"While all are saddened by their decision, the duke and duchess remain much loved members of the family."

Just a few weeks ago Harry was fronting the Rugby Football Union's 150th anniversary celebrations in his role as the governing body's patron.

He has now lost this position along with his patronage of the Rugby Football League, and his role as president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT), while Meghan is no longer the trust's vice-president.

The duchess, a former actress in the hit US-drama Suits, has lost her patronages of the prestigious Royal National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

All but the roles with the QCT were in the gift of the Queen.

A spokesperson for the Sussexes said: "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."

The Sussexes, who are expecting their second child, are poised for their "intimate" interview about their lives with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey.