Meghan Markle was reportedly "barred" from dialling into the royal family's emergency, leaving Prince Harry to explain the couple's decision to "step back" from the institution to the Queen.
The Duchess of Sussex had already travelled to Canada by the time the 'crisis summit' was called, but plans to have her phone in were canned because of security concerns.
According to the Daily Mail, a source told the tabloid: "This was a highly confidential family discussion, not a conference call".
Harry reportedly arrived two hours early to the royal showdown at Sandringham, where he had a "private heart-to-heart" with his grandmother.
The pair was later joined by Prince Charles and Prince William, who reportedly were only advised of Meghan and Harry's bombshell announcement minutes before a public statement was released.
The Daily Mail adds that according to insiders, Harry's father Charles warned his son he doesn't have "unlimited resources" to fund his new lifestyle.
Charles was said to be "hurt and upset" by Harry and Meghan's bid for independence after he had been secretly funding the couple with extra payouts from his own pocket.
In an official statement released by the Queen following the summit, the royal family expressed their support for Harry and Meghan, but made it very clear the situation wasn't their preference.
"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 Queen added that the matters at hand were "complex," and there would be more work to be done, but that she had requested final decisions be reached in the coming days.
