Prince Harry has made his first public appearance since he and Meghan Markle announced their intention to step back from their roles as senior royals.
The Duke of Sussex announced the Rugby League World Cup draw at Buckingham Palace, of which he is patron. In a video promoting the tournament’s new Mental Fitness Charter, the prince said it would help challenge “grin and bear it” culture.
Meanwhile, reports suggested that the Home Office was weighing a Scotland Yard recommendation to “downgrade” Prince Andrew‘s round-the-clock security, although the final say reportedly lies with Boris Johnson and home secretary Priti Patel.
It comes days after the Windsors held crunch talks at Sandringham. In a rare official statement, the Queen said the royal family “respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life”, split between the UK and Canada.
However, an editorial in Canada’s largest newspaper stirred controversy as it insisted the couple should not use the country as a “halfway house” while still part of the royal family, claiming it could endanger the country’s constitution.
Hello, and welcome to The Independent's royal family live blog, days after Harry and Meghan announced their intention to step back from their roles as senior royals.
Prince Harry is due to announce the draw for the Rugby League World Cup at midday.
It is his last scheduled engagement before he and Meghan begin a "period of transition" to their new roles.
Harry promotes mental health charter
The Duke of Sussex has spoken in a video published this morning, which promotes the Rugby League World Cup's new Mental Fitness Charter.
“The perception of rugby league is that you need to be tough. You can't show your feelings, you need to grin and bear it," the prince says.
“But something like the Mental Fitness Charter will help us make real progress in getting rid of the stigma associated with mental illness, and remind people that it is not just about being physically fit but, more importantly, mentally strong.”
It is the first global sporting tournament to launch such an initiative, and will see 8,000 young rugby league players and their families have the option to attend mental health awareness workshops. Coaches will also be given training on how to develop their own mental fitness workshops outside of the tournament.
While Meghan is not thought to have taken part digitally in the family summit, she made her first public appearance yesterday as she visited a women's centre in Canada.
Meghan Markle's father 'could testify in Mail on Sunday' legal case
Thomas Markle has agreed to be a witness for the newspaper after his daughter launched legal action over an article featuring parts of a private handwritten letter she wrote to her father in August 2018, court documents filed by the paper revealed on Tuesday.
The duchess is seeking damages from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.
The publisher's document alleges: "The claimant's real claim in this action is transparently not that the defendant has processed her personal data without consent, which all media publishers do on a regular basis, but that she does not like the effect of what the defendant has published because she considers it to be unflattering."
The duchess is seeking damages from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act.
The publisher's document alleges: "The claimant's real claim in this action is transparently not that the defendant has processed her personal data without consent, which all media publishers do on a regular basis, but that she does not like the effect of what the defendant has published because she considers it to be unflattering."
Harry and Meghan cannot use Canada as 'halfway house' while senior royals, country's largest daily newspaper says
An editorial in The Globe and Mail has urged Justin Trudeau to stop the couple from moving to Canada, claiming their residence in the country could harm its delicate constitutional balance.
Canada still recognises the royal family as its monarch, yet it is a highly symbolic, virtual relationship. The royals have only representatives in Canada, who perform duties like opening parliament and giving royal assent to new laws.
"The Sussexes are working out their own personal issues, and Canadians wish them the best of luck," the editorial said. "Canada welcomes people of all faiths, nationalities and races, but if you’re a senior member of our Royal Family, this country cannot become your home.
"The government should make that clear. There can be no Earl Sussex of Rosedale and no Prince Harry of Point Grey. Canada is not a halfway house for anyone looking to get out of Britain while remaining a royal."
Prince Andrew 'could be stripped of round-the-clock police protection'
The Home Office is recommending a major downgrade of the Duke of York's security in the wake of his forced withdrawal from public life, senior sources have told the Evening Standard.
The final decision lies with Boris Johnson and home secretary Priti Patel, following a review by the Met Police, in which "conclusions have been reached and recommendations made”, the paper was told.
The Duke of Sussex has joined rugby league players from across the globe at Buckingham Palace as he hosts the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draw.
The duke, who wore a suit, smiled and joked when he was welcomed by the RLW2021's chief executive officer Jon Dutton and its non-executive director Stuart Cain in the palace gardens, according to PA.
Harry is due to announce the draw at midday.
The duke is set to begin the draw in 15 minutes. You should be able to watch live below:
Meghan visits Justice for Girls charity in Vancouver
On Tuesday, Meghan was pictured in Vancouver visiting the Justice for Girls group, which advocates for social justice for young women, focusing on issues such as violence, poverty and racism, Olivia Petter reports.
The organisation tweeted two photographs from the occasion, showing the 38-year-old drinking hot beverages with the group’s young members.
During the meeting, Meghan is said to have spoken about climate change and empowering young women.
The photographs of Meghan at the charity come after it was revealed she had paid a visit to another women’s organisation the same day - the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, which provides a “safe space for women and children” in the area.
Just before the draw, Harry was asked about the impact of sport on people's lives. Here's his reply:
I think, from my perspective, certainly the experience that I've had in my younger years but also through Invictus, and all of the sporting events that I'm lucky enough to be able to go to or watch, the impact that it has, especially on young people, but the impact it has on the individuals playing with the community as a whole is remarkable.
Not only do I continue to see sport actually changing lives, but it's saving lives as well, so I think for me and ... everybody in this room, whether it's rugby league, or sports in general ... it needs to be in everybody's life if possible."
Nearly three in four Canadians don't want to pay for Harry and Meghan, poll suggests
While 19 per cent of residents wouldn't mind footing the bill for some of their costs, 73 per cent do not want Canada to spend any money on them at all, according to a poll of 1,154 adults by the Angus Reid Institute.
Harry and Meghan's millennial oversharing is forcing the royals to be more transparent – it will be the monarchy's undoing
Rarely has a headline writer’s coinage proved as bankable as "Megxit". The parallels between the two news events are unending: a seemingly snap decision that anyone looking hard enough should have spotted a mile off; outrage from the corners of society that precipitated the crisis; an outpouring of anger that, for some, smacks heavily of racism and xenophobia, writes Rivkah Brown.
The only difference between the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the Sussexes’ decision "step back" from royalty is that Harry and Meghan, at least, seem to know what they are doing.
Read more here:
Harry and Meghan's millennial oversharing will be the monarchy's undoing | Rivkah Brown
The Sussexes appear to believe that only by solving the mink-furred mysteries in which Britain’s most enigmatic clan is shrouded can its survival be secured. Happily, they're mistaken.Harry jokes with young rugby players to look after the palace grass
According to PA, the duke told the children as they posed for a group picture: "Some of you are really warm ... Some of you haven't been running around."
As he headed inside, he quipped: "Look after the grass though yeah? Otherwise I'll get in trouble."
Here's everything we know about the couple's new brand, Sussex Royal.
And according to one US branding expert, their brand could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds going forward.
How much Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be worth after leaving royal family, according to US branding expert
Royal couple's brand will be able to 'sustain them at a level most American celebrities can only dream of' putting them in the highest echelons of fame and fortune alongside Beyoncé and Jay ZRugby legend looking forward to see Harry, who 'gives his all'
Jason Robinson, who many regard as one of the best players ever to play both Rugby League and Rugby Union, told Sky News of his excitement to see his friend Harry ahead of the Rugby League World Cup draw today.
“He’s just such a lovely person,” Mr Robinson told Kay Burley. “He cares about people and he gives his all. I’ve seen Prince Harry do a lot of stuff on the Invictus games, and you can just see how he interacts with people.
“And people love that, they love the fact that he’s willing to give his all. He’s very personable ... he’s just a lovely fella'.”
Harry refuses to be drawn by reporters outside Buckingham Palace
Journalists gathered outside the palace could be heard shouting to the prince. "How are the discussions going on your future?" one asked, while another enquired: "Are you close to a resolution?"
The Express's royal correspondent claimed Prince Harry "laughed out loud" when the first question was called.
Hundreds of racist, sexist social media posts follow Harry and Meghan's announcement, research finds
Digital journalism analysts at the University of Sunderland have uncovered hundreds of bigoted tweets about the duchess in the days after she and Harry decided to step back as senior royals.
Roughly 400 racist and sexist tweets were tallied in the the most severe category of abuse, including phrases like “self-loathing race traitor”, “trailer trash” and “Meghan the queen of monkey island”.
“These results give a sense of the levels of abuse that have been published about Meghan Markle in the days after the announcement," said Dr John Price, senior lecturer in journalism at Sunderland, told the Huffington Post, which commissioned the research.
“There will be many more tweets not captured in the study, as racism and misogyny are often expressed in more subtle terms that do not use overtly abusive language.
“The vast amount of abuse captured in these findings is startling. It shows that aspects of social media, such as Twitter, have become a haven for people wishing to express hatred against women.”
Harry's ex-girlfriend claims she faces 'barriers' in career because of their relationship
Here's PA's report on remarks made by Cressida Bonas:
Speaking to ES Magazine, the actress said she "still has to contend with" people wanting to talk to her about Harry rather than her work.
She also refused to comment on the Duchess of Sussex, after Meghan and Harry announced their decision to step back as senior royals.
On her former relationship with the duke, Bonas said: "No-one likes to be labelled, no matter what it is about or where they come from.
"The hurdles and barriers for me are when I'm trying to do my work and people want to talk about him. I work very hard and love what I do - I just want to continue.
"But it is still something I have to contend with. It is what it is. People will perhaps always ask me about it."
Ms Bonas refused to comment on Meghan, saying that she "wouldn't take a position on that because it would be a headline".
