Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day.

Ever since Prince Harry started dating TV star Meghan Markle, everyone had been talking of the fairytale that had begun against all odds.

The not-so common decision of the Royals to have an American TV star become one of their own, left everyone nonplussed.

Over a couple of years a lot had changed, for Meghan and the Royals as the fairytale quickly turned sour.

Meghan was struggling to cope with royal life, especially since the birth of their son Archie last May.

Saturday's announcement from the Queen Elizabeth and Buckingham Palace set the seal on her withdrawal from royal life.

It came less than two weeks after the couple's shock announcement that they wanted to step back from their frontline duties.

It had already become clear that Meghan was struggling to cope with royal life, especially since the birth of their son Archie last May.

Since entering the family, the 38-year-old former television star appeared determined to do things her own way.

Meghan made her name as savvy paralegal Rachel Zane in the US legal drama series "Suits", but cultivated a high profile for herself outside the show.

She became a United Nations advocate for women's empowerment and a global ambassador for the World Vision Canada relief agency.

Meghan made her name as savvy paralegal Rachel Zane in the US legal drama series "Suits."

Through a mutual friend, Meghan met Queen Elizabeth II's grandson Harry in July 2016 while visiting London. Their romance quickly blossomed on a whirlwind camping trip to Botswana.

After their glittering wedding, seen as a moment of renewal for the royal family, media coverage became increasingly negative.

Scarred by the death of his mother, Prince Harry struggled in the royal limelight for much of his life, and his fears for wife Meghan proved to be the final straw.

Harry, now 35, earned a reputation as a playboy in his youth, seemingly desperate to escape the royal straightjacket.

Having left his wild child ways behind him, the prince appeared to have found peace with Meghan and son Archie, but it proved to be a temporary respite from the forces that he still blames for Diana's death.

Harry spent 10 years in the British army, serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan.

Despairing after repeated battles with the intrusive British media, Harry and Meghan said in early January they would give up front-line royal duties.

Harry, who spent 10 years in the British army, serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan, has constantly feuded with the media, which gleefully lapped up his rowdy behaviour as a youngster.

But he rebuilt his reputation through his charity work with wounded veterans and advocacy on mental health, an issue close to his heart.

Harry has said that Diana is always in his thoughts, and he has championed many of her charitable causes, including taking an HIV test to raise awareness.

But he has revealed that for a long time he struggled to cope with his mother's death in a Paris car crash in 1997, and sought professional help a few years ago.

A happier chapter in his life began in July 2016, when he met Meghan Markle, a US television actress, on a blind date set up by a mutual friend. Their transatlantic romance quickly blossomed.

Harry and Meghan married at Saint George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.

"Losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but also my work as well," Harry said.

He caused outrage in 2005 when photographs of him in a Nazi Afrika Korps fancy dress outfit made front-page news.

That was the year he entered the army, a conventional path for royals and one that he later admitted "was the best escape I've ever had" from the constant public attention.

Harry and Meghan married at Saint George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.

But they were increasingly on the receiving end of negative headlines alleging demanding behaviour from Meghan and a rift with William.

Harry said in October that he and his brother were on "different paths".

Harry and Meghan recently stepped up their war with the media by launching legal action against British tabloid The Mail on Sunday for alleged invasion of privacy over a letter from the duchess to her father.

It came with a stinging statement from Harry about general tabloid coverage.

Asked if Meghan was facing the same media pressures as Diana, Harry replied: "I have a family to protect.

"I will not be bullied into playing a game that killed my mum."