When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision (opens in new tab) to step down from their royal executive roles was announced earlier this year, the world was shocked.

It is well known among royal watchers that the Sussex couple's shocking decision (opens in new tab) also shocked other members of the royal family. However, the Daily Mail (opens in new tab) has written a new detailed account of the behind-the-scenes drama of the royal exit, revealing that the startling news was conveyed to the royal family via email.

The Mail reports that Harry sent an email to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth (opens in new tab), and his father, Prince Charles (opens in new tab), letting them know that "he and Princess Meghan want to leave." The message was apparently sent in early January, just before Harry returned to London from vacation.

Apparently, both Elizabeth and Charles (open in new tab) tried to persuade Harry to wait to announce his decision, but to no avail.

"They understood that he and Meghan wanted something different and were willing to work together, but it was complicated," a source told the Daily Mail. There were issues like security, funding, visas, and taxes that neither of them had really thought through." Harry was told to put his requests in writing and to come up with ideas. Harry decided to push the nuclear button because he thought his family members were sabotaging him."

The full transcript (opens in a new tab) is full of candid and sometimes shocking claims and passionate thoughts about what went on behind the scenes of the royal breakaway - all from anonymous sources, of course. Here are some of the boldest statements:

"Harry gave up everything, literally everything. He burned every single bridge in his hometown. And Meghan ...... I think she rather got what she wanted: ......"

"The trouble is that they are so stubborn, so obstinate, so convinced of the rightness of their cause. Even if Harry had some inner regret, he would not want to lose his conviction and admit that they were wrong."

"I think they are very stubborn."

"I think they are very stubborn."

"I think they are very stubborn.

"Her Majesty the Queen was shocked. People were angry that the queen had been slighted."

"Harry didn't know how to deal with the situation. He used to go to his private secretary, Samantha Cohen, and beg her to help him. It was a bit of a mess."

And:

"Harry was hopeful of finding a way to marry his desire for more freedom with royal tradition, but Meghan convinced him that he had no other choice and she forced him to choose. He spent three months convincing himself that he had done the right thing"

.

"She grossly misjudged how culturally different the UK was from the US. To be fair, she didn't have a female friend to tell her, 'If you don't wear a hat when you're with the Queen, you're going to mess it up. She didn't understand how bad it was to get such a simple thing wrong."

Read the full dramatic "Daily Mail" (opens in new tab) article on the royal exit (opens in new tab).

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

Click here to sign up (opens in new tab)