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| Prince Harry and Meghan to step back from royal family | Prince Harry and Meghan to step back from royal family |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they intend to ‘work to become financially independent’ | Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they intend to ‘work to become financially independent’ |
| The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said in a statement they “intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent”. | The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said in a statement they “intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent”. |
| The official statement from Prince Harry and Meghan said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. | The official statement from Prince Harry and Meghan said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. |
| “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen. | “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen. |
| “It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. | “It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. |
| “We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. | “We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. |
| “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. | “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. |
| “We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” | “We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” |
| The couple have appeared increasingly unhappy in recent months with their public roles and the level of scrutiny they have faced. | The couple have appeared increasingly unhappy in recent months with their public roles and the level of scrutiny they have faced. |
| In October, Meghan began legal proceedings against the Mail on Sunday after the paper published a handwritten letter she had sent to her estranged father. The action was launched alongside a scathing statement from Prince Harry denouncing the media’s “bullying” of his wife; behaviour he likened to the treatment of his mother, Princess Diana. | In October, Meghan began legal proceedings against the Mail on Sunday after the paper published a handwritten letter she had sent to her estranged father. The action was launched alongside a scathing statement from Prince Harry denouncing the media’s “bullying” of his wife; behaviour he likened to the treatment of his mother, Princess Diana. |
| He said he could no longer be a “silent witness” to Meghan’s “private suffering”, adding that his “deepest fear is history repeating itself”. He wrote: “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives. Put simply, it is bullying, which scares and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t and can’t believe in a world where there is no accountability for this. | |
| “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.” | “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.” |
| The royal family has been slimmed down over the course of the last few years, with greater focus being placed on those most senior in the line of succession. | |
| During the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations in 2012, only a core group of family members was invited to accompany the monarch and her husband on her royal barge. They included Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, as well as his two children and their spouses. | |
| Other relatives – including Charles’s brother the Duke of York and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – were placed on a separate vessel. Last year, Prince Andrew stepped back from public duties, having been forced to deny a series of allegations about his sexual conduct. | |
| The Duke of Edinburgh decided to retire from public duties in 2017. |