Several days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they were stepping back from their roles as senior members of the Royal Family on Instagram, Queen Elizabeth has made a second statement regarding their decision.
On January 8, Harry and Meghan publicly announced their future plans via their official Instagram page. According to sources, their family—including Prince William, Prince Charles, and the Queen—were allegedly blindsided by the statement.
It read, in part, “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 also said that Harry and Meghan plan to fully support the Queen while also becoming “financially dependent.”
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The couple, who are also parents to 8-month-old Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, will also be splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America:
“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 day after the statement was released to the public, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—who were in Canada at the time—flew back to England after Queen Elizabeth called an emergency meeting with the Royal Family.
Queen Elizabeth Gives Her Support to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Now, days later, Queen Elizabeth has made a second statement regarding Harry and Meghan’s decision. Her Majesty began by saying, “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family”:
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
Queen Elizabeth continued, “Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.”
Her Majesty concluded, “These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
According to the Observer, Meghan was last seen making “a private visit to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre; the organization supports women and children in the community as a safe space that provides meals and other necessities.”
On January 15, Harry announced the continuation of the Invictus Games and where they are set to take place in 2022. As he wrote on Instagram, the Invictus Games were set up “to celebrate the power of sport rehabilitation (both physically and mentally) and to generate a wider appreciation for those who served their country beyond their time in uniform.”
It’s unclear what exactly the next steps will be for Harry and Meghan in regard to their future roles. Meghan and Archie are believed to still be in Canada after the family of three spent the holidays there.