William ‘sad and shocked’ at Harry

Prince William is “really sad and genuinely shocked” by his brother’s behaviour towards the Queen over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from royal life, the Sunday Times reports.

Harry and Meghan hit back at the monarch as they were stripped of their patronages, saying "service is universal".

And that response stunned the royal family with a source telling the Sunday Times: "Don’t disrespect your granny, Harry."

A source close to William said the Duke of Cambridge was "really sad and genuinely shocked" over the statement from his brother.

They said the future king believed Harry and Meghan had been “insulting and disrespectful” to the Queen, and was “very upset by what has happened”.

Meanwhile, a source close to the Sussexes told the Sunday Times: "Both sides see that there’s a difference between the personal relationship they have in the family and the professional relationship in terms of the family business."

Royal author Penny Junor said the couple’s response was "two fingers at the institution — the men and women that run it".

The Mail on Sunday's royal editor Emily Andrews said Meghan and Harry sounded "rather resentful and bitter" while The Sun's royal correspondent Ingrid Seward called the statement "pompous".