The Duchess of Sussex was in tears as she said her goodbyes to Buckingham Palace staff after she and Prince Harry had decided to leave the UK having quit the Royal Family.

Meghan Markle is believed to have been in tears at her final royal event before leaving the UK

Meghan Markle gave a tearful seven word comment to a confidante as she said her goodbyes before she and Harry left the country after quitting the Royal Family.

The Duchess of Sussex had a private meeting with Association of Commonwealth Universities scholars in what was her final engagement. She also used the event to give an emotional speech to staff as she prepared to head to Canada.

Omid Scobie was one of a number of journalists invited to Meghan’s final engagement where Meghan hugged her aides and was reportedly tearful during her final hours in the UK. It followed the Sussexes’ bombshell decision to step down as senior members of the Royal Family in January 2020.

Mr Scobie later wrote in the book Finding Freedom, which he co-authored with Carolyn Durand, about how Meghan also used that meeting to bid a final farewell to her team at Buckingham Palace. And he revealed Meghan hugged him before making a tearful admission.

The Sussexes now live in California after quitting the Royal Family

Mr Scobie wrote: “Staff who had been with the couple from day one were mourning the end of what was supposed to be a happy story: two people fall in love, get married, have a baby, serve the Queen, the end. Instead, they were leaving the country.

“As Meghan gave me a final hug goodbye, she said, ‘It didn’t have to be this way.'” The Duchess was said to be sad that things hadn’t worked out differently, as she and Harry prepared to start a new life together in Canada, and later in the USA. In an article for Harper’s Bazaar, Mr Scobie further said that “tears that the Duchess had been bravely holding back [were] free to flow among familiar faces”. He added: “The Duchess of Sussex emotionally [bid] much-loved aides farewell, with her flight ‘home’ to Canada leaving in a matter of hours.

“Meghan would fly back to Canada on the last commercial flight of the day, eager to be back in Vancouver Island by the morning before Archie wakes up.” Meghan is also said to have “tearfully” told a pal, “I gave up my entire life for this family” after she was blamed for her and Harry’s decision to step back. She reportedly said she “was willing to do whatever it takes”.

In the statement announcing their departure, Harry and Meghan said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.” The couple made their last public engagement together as royals on Monday, March 9, 2020. They attended the Commonwealth Day ceremony at Westminster Abbey with the Queen and a host of other top royals.