Veteran journalist Nicholas Whitchell has decided to hang up his microphone and bid farewell to his career, but not before taking a brutal swipe at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Whitchell, who has been a familiar face on our screens for 25 years, recently crafted his final report on the King’s message in the Royal Gathering at Sandringham, as he has done almost every Christmas Day.

Now that he is retiring, he finally feels free to speak his mind, unburdened by the constraints of being a BBC reporter, where he couldn’t express his personal thoughts on air.

Whitchell acknowledges that it is impossible to ignore the presence of Harry and Meghan in this story, despite its occasional tedium.

He admits to covering their split, their biography, and all the other speculations surrounding them.

While soap opera aspects have long been associated with the Royal Family, Whitchell does not feel entirely comfortable with this style of reporting.

Nevertheless, he recognizes that it is part of the job, stating, “It’s not an aspect that I feel at home with, but I recognize that it’s part of the job.”

Having spent 25 years reporting on the Royal Family, Whitchell joined the BBC as a trainee in 1976.

This extensive experience has allowed him to perfect his craft in front of the camera.

However, during a live broadcast outside Buckingham Palace in May 2019, when he was about to announce the arrival of baby Archie, he found himself at a loss for words.

He had to hand back to the studio, which led to speculation about his health.

This incident was a rare mishap for Whitchell, who was once criticized by Prince Charles.

In an article for the Sunday Times, Whitchell shares his perspective on what happened during the broadcast and takes a swipe at Harry and Meghan.

He describes it as his “single worst moment” in 48 years, attributing his drying up on live TV to a lack of interest in the couple.

According to Whitchell, anyone would struggle to say anything positive about Harry and Meghan and dry up in front of the audience.

Whitchell admits that he was tired during that particular broadcast and had not mentally prepared himself for the task.

He believes complacency got the better of him, emphasizing the importance of being fully engaged in live television.

Reflecting on the birth announcement of Archie, he criticizes the couple for not following royal protocols and keeping the palace in the dark.

Whitchell questions whether there was more to the story than what was publicly known, as the palace’s website briefly stated that Archie was a surrogate before being taken down, supposedly due to a hack.

Following the incident, Whitchell received support from the public and even heard from actors who had experienced similar drying-up moments on stage.

However, he confesses that he has never been able to bring himself to watch the footage again, as it significantly shook his confidence.

Whitchell raises concerns about the late Queen’s inability to handle Meghan and Harry effectively.

He believes that the palace should have made more effort to integrate Meghan into the British royal family’s way of life, just as Meghan should have made an effort to assimilate.

He suggests that granting her a title and patronages immediately, without ensuring she became a citizen and representing the UK, may not have been the best approach.

Whitchell also criticizes the palace for giving in to Meghan’s demands for money and status, suggesting that they allowed Harry to exert too much influence.

As Nicholas Whitchell bids farewell to his career, he leaves behind a legacy of reporting on the Royal Family, including this final swipe at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

While his retirement marks the end of an era, his insights and experiences will continue to shape our understanding of the monarchy and its members.