Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step down as senior members of the royal family
8 January 2020, 19:21 | Updated: 8 January 2020, 19:50
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they are going to work on being ‘financially independent’ as they plan to split their time between the UK and North America.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on Wednesday evening they are stepping back from royal duties.
The couple revealed their decision in an Instagram post which explained they intend to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family” and work on being “financially independent”.
However, Prince William’s younger brother and the former Suits actress did add that they will “continue to fully support Her Majesty The Queen”.
The couple also added that they will splitting their time between the UK and North America, where Meghan has family and friends.
They explain: “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.”
The full statement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is as follows:
“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.
“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.
“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.”
The couple have also launched a new website all about their roles in the royal family as well as outside it, which can be found at sussexroyal.com.
