In a bombshell announcement released Wednesday, January 8, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry revealed they] stepping down as “senior members” of the royal family.
“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,” the Sussexes wrote in an Instagram post.
They continued, “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.”
It’s unclear what this means, exactly, for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. But rumors that something like this was happening have been brewing for a while.
“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,” a source told the Sun this week. “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. But it is clear they are on a different and unique path, and they are very much thinking about what the future looks like for them.”
The social media reactions to this news are coming in swift. Below, just a few of the best ones:
Royals expert Omid Scobie tweeted, “In 2020 Harry and Meghan will be changing how they work with the media, to ensure diverse and open access to their work.” He then listed what they specifically intend to do.
This story is still unfolding.
