London (CNN) The Queen asked Prince Harry not to issue the statement on Wednesday announcing that he and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, would be pulling back from royal duties, but he went ahead with it anyway, CNN understands.

Harry and Meghan announced their intention to step back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family and work towards becoming "financially independent."

There was said to be a mood of deep disappointment in the palace following the announcement; senior members of the family are hurt as a result of the news.

In a statement issued just hours after the couple put out an Instagram post, Buckingham Palace said the situation was "complicated."

"Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage," the unsigned Royal Communications statement said.

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