8th January, 2020
Buckingham Palace was stunned Wednesday by the decision of Duke Harry and Duchess Meghan to step back as senior royals, while they shuttle between the UK and North America working to become financially independent.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their announcement in a statement on their official Instagram account Wednesday evening.
‘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 announcement completely stunned Buckingham Palace as no one including Harry’s Grandma, Queen Elizabeth was taken into confidence or consulted before going public.
According to the BBC, the royals, including the queen and Prince William were “disappointed” and “hurt” by the statement.
After the couple’s announcement, Buckingham Palace issued its own statement saying discussions with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 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,” the palace’s statement read.