How King Charles III predicted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step away from royal life

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Zoe Paskett9 January 2020

Prince Harry is soon to be buying his scotch eggs at Sainsbury’s, if the predictions of a play are anything to go by.

The news that Prince Harry and Meghan would be stepping back from senior royal duties was foreshadowed in a play six years ago, which saw Harry reject his royal life to be with his girlfriend.

Mike Bartlett’s play King Charles III imagines the path of the royal family following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, including a storyline where Harry meets a republican art student named Jessica.

King Charles III debuted at the Almeida Theatre in 2014 to rave reviews, under the directorship of Rupert Goold, who posted an excerpt of the play on Twitter.

“You would not be a prince?” asks Charles, to which Harry replies: “I’d be your son, but no, my love for Jessica come first because like you, I don’t believe that born a prince must mean I sacrifice my soul, my hopes, desires, all that makes me, me. Instead I should be free to choose my path.”

Prince Harry and Meghan put out a statement on their official Instagram account announcing that they would “work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen”.

The play was later adapted into a television film for the BBC. There was some pushback from a few MPs who branded it offensive to the royal family, but former culture secretary John Whittingdale defended the show saying: “I don't think the Queen is the least bit offended”.

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