Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Resign As Senior Members Of The Royal Family
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Are Stepping Back As “Senior Members Of The Royal Family”
Source: Chris Jackson / Getty
In a historic unprecedented move, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their decision to resign as senior members of the Royal Family on Wednesday.
In an Instagram post from their official page, the couple also said they plan to split their time between the United States and the United Kingdom and become financially independent.
“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 announcement reads. “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.”
In total the couple feels the move to shift focus will also be for the betterment of their eight-month-old son, Archie.
“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.”
Wednesday’s announcement seems to mark the culmination of a series of public and private battles that the public may never be privy to. Last month the couple decided to take a lengthy vacation to Canada over the holidays, away from their family members in England. Canada served as a place of solace as it was the region where Meghan resided when she first began dating Prince Harry while filming the USA drama, Suits.
Prince Harry has also been outspoken in defending his wife from the barrage of attacks, which also insinuated that Meghan being half-Black was a source of tension in the Royal Family. Last year, Meghan seemed emotionally drained during an interview with ITV journalist Tom Bradby where he asked about her emotional state and the amount of stress she endured in the public during her pregnancy and postpartum.
While holding back tears, she answered, “Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable, and so that was made really challenging,” Meghan said. “And then when you have a newborn, you know. And especially as a woman, it’s a lot. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed . . . thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I’m okay.”
Harry is the sixth heir to the throne behind his father, Prince Charles, brother Prince William and his three children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
Social media is currently cutting up at the news.
