Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are stepping back formally from royal duties … and the royal purse.
The pair shared Wednesday that they will “step back” as senior members of the royal family and “work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen.”
As anyone not living under a rock will likely recall, 2019 was a wild ride for the Sussexes, with multiple rumors emerging vis-à-vis feuds with Prince William and Kate Middleton and tales of their “difficult” behavior leading to top staff defections. Over the holidays, after launching lawsuits against British tabloids for their coverage, the pair retreated to Canada, where they reportedly deeply enjoyed their time away from the spotlight with baby Archie.
So much so, they are opting to spend more time in North America while also relinquishing their royal titles in order to have maximum freedom … and safety. As Harry said when launching the lawsuits late last year, the tone of the criticism was negative, he is concerned that history would repeat itself. Harry, of course, lost his mother Princess Diana to tabloid photographers chasing her car in London.
“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,” their statement reads.
Here’s what insiders told The Sun as rumors gathered: “It is true that Harry and Meghan will spend a fair amount of time in Canada over the next couple of months and possibly going forward too. Right now they are starting talks with their family about their plans for the future. Those conversations are at a very early stage. There is a very careful and serious process to go through which they are going to respect.”
Looks like this time, the rumors were spot on.