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Meghan Markle’s decision to step back as a senior royal and spend less time in the UK was a “matter of life and death”, according to a friend.

At the end of last week the Duchess of Sussex flew out of the UK to Canada to be with her son Archie following a tempestuous week. Her husband, Prince Harry, stayed behind to negotiate the terms of their departure from the royal front line. The decision to step away from The Firm was fuelled partly by Meghan’s desire to free herself from the emotional trappings of her role, it has been claimed.

Speaking to MailOnline, a friend of the 38-year-old described a woman struggling under the pressure of royal life. “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 said.  “She also felt like she couldn’t be the best mother to Archie if she wasn’t being her true, authentic self.”

They added: “She felt like it was a toxic environment for him because there was too much tension and pent-up frustrations.”

Against this turbulent emotional backdrop, the Sussexes announcement that they wanted to become financially independent and intend to split their time between Britain and Canada makes more sense.

Following the bombshell announcement, he attended a two-hour summit at Sandringham, after which the Queen released a rare statement saying she would have preferred the pair to remain as full-time royals.

However, the couple’s high-stakes gamble paid off as the Queen gave her reluctant blessing for them to step back.

Meanwhile, Canada’s biggest newspaper has warned Meghan and Prince Harry that they are not welcome to live there as a “halfway house”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced last week they plan to quit the royal family and split their time between Britain and North America in a move which has sent shock waves through the monarchy.

And with Harry likely to fly back to be with his wife and son Archie on Vancouver Island before the end of the week, the Globe and Mail has dealt them a sucker punch.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted over Christmas the pair were “always welcome” as they spent the festive period in Vancouver, the newspaper has said the government’s response should be a “simple and succinct: No”.

The Globe and Mail went on to describe the Sussexes’ plans to move as “vague and evolving” and “not something that Canada can allow”.

“But this country’s unique monarchy, and its delicate yet essential place in our constitutional system, means that a royal resident – the prince is sixth in the line of succession — is not something that Canada can allow. It breaks an unspoken constitutional taboo,” the article said.

The scathing column, published on Monday, said Canada is not open to anyone “looking to get out of Britain while remaining a royal”. — AFP