Choosing sides! Hugh Grant is all-in on Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan following their unprecedented royal family step back.
The Notting Hill star, 59, played his cards carefully when host Andy Cohen asked how he felt about “Megxit” during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy” on Monday, January 13. After a slight hesitation, Grant admitted that he was empathetic toward the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision.
“I’m rather on Harry’s side, I have to say,” Grant told Cohen. “The tabloid press effectively murdered his mother [Princess Diana], now they’re tearing his wife to pieces. I think, as a man, it’s his job to protect his family. So I’m with him.”
On January 8, the Suits alum, 38, and the duke, 35, revealed that they planned to step away from their royal family duties in order to “work to become financially independent.” The couple also explained that they would continue to “honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages” while splitting their time between the U.K. and North America.
The bombshell announcement caused a royal stir, and fueled rumors of a growing rift between Harry and his brother, Prince William. A source told Us Weekly exclusively that William, 37, was “totally let down” by his younger brother’s “reckless and selfish actions.” Duchess Kate, for her part, was also “incredibly hurt” by the unexpected changes within the royal family, according to the source.
Despite disapproval from some of his relatives, the Duke of Sussex is looking forward to a “fresh start” in Canada, where Meghan has been staying on and off with their son, Archie, since visiting Vancouver Island during the holidays.
“He’s desperate to get as far away as he can from all the negativity,” a second insider told Us exclusively on Tuesday, January 14.
The duke isn’t the only one who’s excited about carving out a new legacy for his family in North America. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that many Canadian citizens are “very supportive” of the possibility that Meghan and Harry will make Canada their new home.
“There is a general feeling of appreciation for the Sussexes,” Trudeau, 48, said during an interview with Canada’s Global News on Monday. “There are still a lot of decisions to be taken by the royal family, by the Sussexes themselves, as to what level of engagement they choose to have. These are things that we are obviously supportive of their reflections, but have responsibilities in that as well.”
