Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were subjected to a "level of cruelty" by the royals who could have done more to accommodate them, a royal expert has claimed.
The couple announced in early 2020 they were stepping down as senior royals and have since quit the UK for a new life in America.
It had been suggested that Harry and Meghan wanted to compromise with a "one foot in, one foot out" solution to being working royals and chasing their own financial deals.
However, following the so-called Sandringham Summit between Harry, the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William, it was decided they should cut ties completely.
And now former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt says more could have been done to keep Harry and Meghan in the Firm - especially as Meghan could have been an asset to them.
He told the Irish Times : "She was able to give a speech in South Africa about being a woman of colour who entered an institution that, to survive and prosper, needs to continue being the head of state in several other realms which are Commonwealth countries, and it failed to do enough to keep her within the institution.
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“I mean, it’s an institution that adjusts and makes things up as it goes along. There’s a flag up, there’s a flag down. They can adjust their history when they need to.
"They’ve managed to find a mechanism whereby [civilian] Prince Edward can attend the Cenotaph wearing a military uniform. They could have found a mechanism whereby Harry could have carried on. The fact that they didn’t smacks of a level of cruelty.”
His comments come as Harry made a surprise appearance at a Texas rodeo - and came dressed for the occasion wearing a cowboy hat.
Harry was spotted at the Stockyards Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday - a famous rodeo where contestants ride bulls and take part in roping competitions.
He was at the event without Meghan and was seen chatting to people attending the rodeo and was given a tour of the venue.
Harry's appearance at the rodeo comes two weeks after his and Meghan's last public outing at the NAACP Image Awards, where they were awarded the prestigious President's Award to mark their special achievement for 'distinguished public service'.
Accepting the award, Harry said: "I think it's safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason.
"We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to."
The couple also offered their support to the people of Ukraine amid the Russian invasion and Harry explained: "Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community."
