(Photo Source: globalnews.ca)

Markle is enjoying the relief of royal duties

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a bombshell announcement that they would be “stepping back” from the British royal family, friends of the couple have come forward to defend their decision. A friend of Meghan’s told the Daily Mail that Meghan found royal life to be “soul-crushing” and finally feels “free.”

The friend, who wanted to remain anonymous, said Meghan didn’t want her son, Archie, growing up in a toxic environment.

“She told her inner circle of friends that her soul was being crushed and that the decision to leave was a matter of life or death–meaning the death of her spirit,” the friend told the Daily Mail. “She also felt like she couldn’t be the best mother to Archie if she wasn’t being her true, authentic self. Something she felt she couldn’t be in the royal family confines. She said she didn’t want Archie picking up on her stress and anxiety. She felt like it was a toxic environment for him because there was too much tension and pent-up frustrations.”

Meghan has been living in Canada since her royal exit, where she has visited battered women’s shelters and focused on her charity work. Prince Harry remains in the United Kingdom, but will reportedly join his wife and son soon.