Shady ol’ Queen Elizabeth has released her first official statement following the announcement that her grandson Prince Harry and his missus Meghan Markle were taking a “step back” from their roles as senior members of the Royal Family to become “financially independent.”
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In an official statement, Lizzy revealed that they will no longer be full-time working members of the British royal family.
The Queen said:
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 wishes to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family. 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. 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.
Here it is, Queen’s statement: pic.twitter.com/qfgcaiNkFN
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) January 13, 2020
Royal watchers noticed that in the statement, her grandson and his wife were referred to as “Harry and Meghan” instead of the “Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” which could be a sign that the couple will lose their Royal titles after giving up their roles.
Meghan and Harry announced their intent to step back from their royal roles last Wednesday on their Sussex Royal Instagram.
They wrote at the time:
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.
