Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have announced they plan to step back from their roles as senior members of Britain's Royal family and work to become financially independent.
In a statement released on their personal Instagram account and also by Buckingham Palace, they said they planned to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America.
"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," the statement read.
"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."
Prince Harry and Meghan married in May 2018 in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle, west of London, and had their first child in May 2019 — a boy they named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
Prince Harry, 35, is currently sixth in line to the throne, and media speculation had been rife that he and Meghan, 38, planned to step back from public life ever since their return this month from a six-week holiday in Canada.
Last year, Prince Harry said he had had disagreements with his older brother, Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, and both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have had a tense relationship with some British newspapers.
Although as an actress and human rights advocate, the Duchess was accustomed to media attention before her marriage, she has made no secret of the fact that the transition to the level of celebrity faced by Britain's royal family was difficult.
Last year, Prince Harry lashed out at the British media for its treatment of his wife, accusing the media of hounding her the way they did his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 car crash while trying to elude paparazzi.
"My deepest fear is history repeating itself. I've seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces," Prince Harry said at the time.
More to come.
Reuters
