Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Give Up ‘His and Her Royal Highness’ Titles

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced earlier in January that they wanted to split their time between the UK and North America, as well as to become financially independent. On January 9, 2020, Meghan traveled to Canada with no intention of going back to the UK.

Queen Elizabeth II has issued an official statement concerning the new arrangements for Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

“The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family”, the statement from Buckingham Palace said.

The Duke & Duchess of Sussex Attend a Roundtable Discussion on Gender Equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust — Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle. (Photo by Jeremy Selwyn/Evening Standard Rota Picture)

According to the statement, the Sussexes will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.

“With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty”, the statement reads.

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“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. 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.” – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:33am PST

Prince Harry and Meghan will also step back from their royal duties, including official military appointments, according to the statement.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home”, the statement added.

Harry, 35, and his wife, former actress Meghan Markle, 38, stirred up a crisis in the British monarchy on 8 January by proclaiming that they wanted to reduce their royal duties and spend more time in North America, while also becoming financially independent.

“Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family,” Queen Elizabeth said in the statement.

“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family,” she said. “I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.”