Meghan Markle reportedly had problems with Prince William before leaving the royal family — and Harry revealed she once ‘burst’ into tears over a statement released by William’s team.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn’t have the easiest time within the royal family once they wed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have since opened up about their treatment by the royals, with Harry writing a memoir and the two sitting down to film a documentary. Over time, Harry has opened up more and more about the couple’s treatment, and he even once revealed that Meghan “burst” into tears after she learned Prince William released a statement about her.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate MiddletonMeghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Meghan Markle reportedly cried after seeing an alleged statement by Prince William

When Harry and Meghan were working royals, things often didn’t go their way; Harry has since said that the family was not willing to protect Meghan or help her improve her reputation within the press. And Harry even recalled a moment when Meghan cried after a statement was released by William’s team.

“I mean, the saddest part of it was this wedge created between me and my brother so that he’s now on the institution’s side,” Harry said in his Netflix documentary with Meghan, according to Express. But Harry expressed disappointment in how he and his wife were treated compared to how William and his wife, Kate Middleton, were treated. He recalled a story coming out that the Sussexes were leaving the royal family because William had “bullied” them into doing so — and the palace was quick to protect the future king.

“Once I got in the car after the meeting, I was told about a joint statement that had been put out in my name and my brother’s name squashing the story about him bullying us out of the family … I couldn’t believe it. No one had asked me permission to put my name to a statement like that,” Harry said in the series.

But Meghan took the news even worse. “And I rang [Meghan] and I told her and she burst into floods of tears because within four hours they were happy to lie to protect my brother and yet for three years, they were never willing to tell the truth to protect us.” Meghan and William don’t have a relationship today, according to reports.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still viewed negatively for telling their story

Although Harry and Meghan thought that putting their story out there would improve their reputation by creating a better understanding for why they left, it has seemingly done the opposite. The two do not have a great relationship with the royals to this day, and their popularity in the UK has plummeted.

Harry and Meghan have a somewhat better reputation over in the US, but things still haven’t improved the way they might have hoped. Harry recently received a ton of criticism over earning the Pat Tillman Award at this year’s ESPYs for his work on the Invictus Games, with Pat’s own mother calling him out. Still, the two continue to drown out the noise of negativity and build their own lives in the US with Meghan saying earlier this year that they are ”really happy.”