The Queen Responds To Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Decision To Step Back As Senior Royals

Published on January 9, 2020.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle surprised us all when they announced yesterday that they would be stepping down as senior royals.

Many have wondered the Queen’s thoughts on their decision and whether this has been a plan in the making for months leading up. Following Meghan and Harry’s statement, Buckingham Palace made a statement in response. The statement shared that conversations about the Sussex’s “new progressive role” is still in the “early stages” and is “complicated.”

“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,” the Queen’s office of Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Wednesday.

It has since been revealed that the Queen and other senior royal members, Prince Charles and Prince William included, were caught off guard by Meghan and Harry’s announcement.

In addition to stepping down as senior royals, Meghan and Harry also shared they would become financially independent from the Crown. They also plan to set up a residence in North America where they will spend their time when they are not in the U.K.

“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,” the couple wrote in a statement on Instagram. “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.”

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