Is this great news? It might be great news!
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are officially known, announced on their Instagram account that they “intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent.” In addition to cutting back, permanently, their royal duties, the couple also plans to split their time geographically between the United Kingdom and North America.
For royal watchers or even just the casually interested, this is massive news. The British monarchy has been run with an iron fist by Queen Elizabeth and to see anyone break with royal protocol is a bold, progressive move.
No two royals have quite captured the public interest like Harry and Meghan, their romance often treated as a modern-day fairy tale. The move, while surprising, shouldn’t come as a total shock, considering the two already took a breather from royal duties after their son Archie was born. Plus, Meghan has been open about the toll the limelight and abhorrent treatment from the British tabloids has taken on her. And, with their being very little chance that Harry could actually inherent the throne, their roles are purely ceremonial. It may be sentimental, but I like to think Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, would also be pretty proud.
Still, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, like what exactly are Harry and Meghan going to do? And can anyone really just retire from the royal family? Plus, how are they going to make money.
Let’s turn to Twitter for the best jokes, reactions and advice.
I love the royal family but it is, without question, a historically imperialist institution and apparently Meghan and Harry are taking it down, but from the inside.
