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Prince Harry and Meghan to ‘step back’ as senior royals and split time between Britain and North America Prince Harry and Meghan to ‘step back’ as senior royals and split time between Britain and North America
(32 minutes later)
LONDON — Britain’s Prince Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, and his American wife, Meghan, made a surprise announcement on Wednesday evening: that they would “step back” from their roles as senior members of royal family and work to become “financially independent,” in the United Kingdom and North America. LONDON — Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, American actress Meghan Markle, made a surprise announcement on Wednesday evening: that they would “step back” from their roles as senior members of royal family and work to become “financially independent,” in the United Kingdom and North America.
Such a move abroad, and so far away from the strictures of Buckingham Palace and its many duties, would be bold and remarkable — signaling that two of the younger, most popular royals may be fed up with the anarchonistic, cosseted life of endless ribbon-cutting and scripted engagements. Such a bold move abroad, and so far away from the strictures of Buckingham Palace and its many duties, would be remarkable — signaling that two of the younger, most popular royals may be fed up with the anarchonistic, cosseted life of endless ribbon-cutting and dull, scripted engagements, overseen by a 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II and her traditionalist courtiers.
A statement from Buckingham Palace prompted speculation that the queen may not have been fully informed of the decision before the announcement. The statement read: “Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.” Harry, Duke of Sussex, is the queen’s grandson and sixth in line to the throne.
The globally famous couple — friends to Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, George Clooney and the Obamas — have complained bitterly of being pursued by the British tabloids.The globally famous couple — friends to Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, George Clooney and the Obamas — have complained bitterly of being pursued by the British tabloids.
The couple have filed lawsuits, and given TV interviews, claiming violations of their privacy. Harry has said he is haunted by memories of his own mother, Princess Diana, being hounded to her death by paparazzi in a tunnel in Paris. The couple have filed lawsuits, and given TV interviews, claiming violations of their privacy. Harry has said he is haunted by memories of his own mother, Princess Diana, being hounded to her death by paparazzi chasing her through a tunnel in Paris.
In a post on their Instagram account, the couple said they made the decision to distance themselves from palace life, “after many months of reflection and internal discussions.” In a post on their Instagram account, the couple said they made the decision to distance themselves from palace life “after many months of reflection and internal discussions.”
“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,” they said. “We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages,” they wrote.
“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages,” Harry and Meghan said in a statement. A statement from Buckingham Palace prompted speculation that the queen may not have been fully informed of the decision before the announcement, which royal watchers found amazing.
The couple not say where, exactly, they would spend time now. The palace statement read: “Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”
That sounded to many as if the queen was miffed.
The couple did not say where, exactly, they would spend time now. Or how they would become financially independent from their royal allowances. They teased the launch of a “new charitable entity,” but said they would share those details later.
Meghan is from Los Angeles. She is close to her mother, but estranged from her father, who now lives in retirement in Mexico.Meghan is from Los Angeles. She is close to her mother, but estranged from her father, who now lives in retirement in Mexico.
Before the couple got together, Meghan lived and worked in Toronto, where her legal TV drama “Suits” is filmed. A member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, Canada might make an appropriate part-time home. Before she and Harry got together, Meghan lived and worked in Toronto, where her legal TV drama “Suits” is filmed. Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, might make an appropriate part-time home.
On Tuesday, the couple visited Canada House in central London, where they thanked the Canadian High Commissioner for the hospitality they received during a recent stay in Canada. On Tuesday, the couple visited Canada House in central London, where they thanked the Canadian High Commissioner for the hospitality they received during a recent stay in his country. Harry, Meghan and their baby, Archie, spent Christmas there and were spotted on Vancouver Island.
Harry, Meghan and their baby, Archie, spent Christmas there and were spotted on Vancouver Island. A front-page story in the Sun tabloid on Wednesday claimed that the couple were considering moving to Canada after the successful holiday. Dickie Arbiter, the queen’s former press secretary, said it was unclear what Harry and Meghan’s new roles would look like.
Dickie Arbiter, the queen’s former press secretary, said that it was unclear how the next stages would work.
“It doesn’t put them out of control of the royal machine, but it does put them slightly on the outside,” he said.“It doesn’t put them out of control of the royal machine, but it does put them slightly on the outside,” he said.
He added that “nobody knows” how they will, in practice, continue to support the queen and work with charities. He added that “nobody knows” how they will, in practice, continue to support the queen and work with charities. “Maybe they come back and do things for the charities for a 3-4 month” window, he said.
“Maybe they come back and do things for the charities for a 3-4 month” window, he said.
Like many on social media, Arbiter speculated the duo would move to Canada, a Commonwealth country where Harry’s grandmother is head of state. “They just spent six weeks there, Meghan used to live in Canada, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t Canada,” he said.Like many on social media, Arbiter speculated the duo would move to Canada, a Commonwealth country where Harry’s grandmother is head of state. “They just spent six weeks there, Meghan used to live in Canada, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t Canada,” he said.
There is no precedent for senior royals stepping back in this way, said Arbiter. Prince Andrew, a son of the queen, was recently forced to step back from royal duties amid controversy over his past friendship with American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Edward VIII famously abdicated the throne so that he could marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée.There is no precedent for senior royals stepping back in this way, said Arbiter. Prince Andrew, a son of the queen, was recently forced to step back from royal duties amid controversy over his past friendship with American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Edward VIII famously abdicated the throne so that he could marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée.
“I’m disappointed they have taken this decision,” Arbiter said. “They were doing good work, Harry was doing exceptional work and this takes them out of the mainstream.” Since Harry and Meghan announced their engagement, there have been questions about whether they would help to modernize the monarchy. Many Britons welcomed the idea that the royal family would finally have a senior member who not only looked like modern Britain, but who proudly spoke out about her ethnicity. During a trip to Africa in the fall, Meghan, who is bi-racial, proudly called herself a “woman of color.”
Although Harry and Meghan framed their decision Wednesday as a “progressive” one, some royal watchers wondered whether they would have played a more transformative role if they stayed more engaged.
“I’m disappointed they have taken this decision,” Arbiter said. “They were doing good work, Harry was doing exceptional work, and this takes them out of the mainstream.”
Meghan told ITV in a documentary in October that “not many people have asked if I'm okay. But it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes." When asked if it would be fair to say if things had been “a struggle,” Meghan replied, “yes.Meghan told ITV in a documentary in October that “not many people have asked if I'm okay. But it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes." When asked if it would be fair to say if things had been “a struggle,” Meghan replied, “yes.
She said that when she first met Prince Harry, “my British friends said to me, I’m sure he’s great but you shouldn’t do it, because the British tabloids will destroy your life. And I very naively — I’m American, we don’t have that there...I didn’t get it.”She said that when she first met Prince Harry, “my British friends said to me, I’m sure he’s great but you shouldn’t do it, because the British tabloids will destroy your life. And I very naively — I’m American, we don’t have that there...I didn’t get it.”
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