Prince Harry Ready To Quit Royal Life After Queen Elizabeth Denies His Request To Marry Meghan Markle

Prince Harry is reportedly ready to leave his royal life behind so he can marry Meghan Markle.

A new report claims that Queen Elizabeth denied Harry’s request to marry his American girlfriend, which has pushed Harry to a decision that could have him leaving England behind. Though there had been hints from Prince Harry that he was ready to settle down and looking to lead a quieter life, this report for the first time suggests casting aside his royal duties to do so.

The report comes from OK Magazine and claims that Queen Elizabeth did not approve of Meghan Markle because she is divorced and an American.

“It’s awful,” an unnamed source told the media outlet. “Harry is now faced with the choice between his country and the woman he loves.”

Love is apparently winning out. The source said that Prince Harry is set on marrying the American actress, even if that means leaving the royal family behind.

“Harry can’t imagine going back to his duties without her by his side,” the source claimed. “She’s given him a new lease on life, and he’s tired of putting everything but himself first. He’s waited years to find this level of happiness, and he’s not going to give it up without a fight.”

While Prince Harry has been known for a string of relationships — some of them long-term — none have been more serious than his pairing with Meghan Markle. Insiders said the relationship became serious very quickly, with both talking about marriage. And Markle seems to have had a profound impact on Harry’s life, even helping him open up about his mother’s death.

Earlier this year, Harry revealed that he had been in counseling for depression that came after his mother’s 1997 death. A source close to the royal family said it was Meghan who helped him grow more comfortable expressing those feelings.

“Harry feel for Meghan partly because she’s so open, and has that American attitude of saying, ‘Let’s talk about our feelings,’ ” the source told Closer magazine. “He comes from such a stiff-upper-lip culture, but Meghan helped him open up.”

Prince Harry may have already hinted that he isn’t cut out for the royal life. In a recent interview with Newsweek, he revealed that he was following through with his royal obligations out of a sense of duty and had no desire to be the King of England, should it come to that.

“We’re involved in modernizing the British monarchy,” Prince Harry said.

“We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people,” he added. “Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time.”

If Prince Harry does decided to leave the royal life behind and marry Meghan Markle, he would have at least some family members on his side. His brother Prince William and Kate Middleton are in Harry’s corner and would support his decision to marry the actress, even if it means leaving the royal family and becoming a commoner, the source told OK! Magazine.

[Featured Image by Aaron Chown/AP Images]