Prince Harry Seemingly Drops Secret Message About England Amid Royal Family Exit

After sending royal fans scrambling with an announcement that he and wife Meghan Markle would be taking a step back from their royal duties and splitting their time with North America, Prince Harry seems to have dropped a subtle message about his true feelings in footage from his first public appearance since then.

In footage from the 2021 Rugby League World Cup draws at Buckingham Palace on Thursday shared to his Instagram Story, the Duke of Sussex’s followers were quick to realize the music selection was The Stone Roses’ “This Is the One,” which includes lyrics about “leaving the country” and burning “the town where I was born.”

On Monday, Harry met with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William about the situation, with the queen announcing in a statement soon after, “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first announced their major life change on Jan. 8 in a statement on Instagram.

“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple announced. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”

“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages,” the statement continued. “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”

Photo credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images