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Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have definitively separated from the British royal family and told Queen Elizabeth they will not return as active members of the monarchy, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.
Harry and Meghan sent shockwaves at the monarchy in January 2020 by suddenly announcing that they were parting ways with the family and embarking on a new future across the Atlantic, one of the most extraordinary royal outings in decades.
That division has now been formalized after discussions with the 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth: Harry and Meghan will lose their prized royal patronages which will return to the queen and be distributed among other members of the family.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty the Queen that they will not return as active members of the Royal Family,” the Palace said.
“While everyone is saddened by his decision, the Duke and Duchess remain very dear members of the family.”
The split amounts to an abdication from the royal family whose senior members, like the queen, have long prioritized duty and service over personal wishes.
The couple, who said they would remain committed to their service to Britain, will break their silence on the royal divide, dubbed “Megxit” by British newspapers, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey next month.
When they announced their intention to carve out a “new progressive role” away from the suffocating intrusion of the media in 2020, they said they wanted to become financially independent but also honor their duties to the queen and their official sponsorships from charities and organizations close to their hearts. . .
SERVICE LIFE
Those sponsorships are now gone. Queen Elizabeth, whose 99-year-old husband Prince Philip is currently in the London hospital, took a firm line.
“The queen has written confirming that by moving away from the work of the royal family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” said the Palace.
The pair will lose their partnerships with The Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving, as well as The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, The Rugby Football Union, The Rugby Football League and The Royal National Theater.
Through a spokesperson, Harry and Meghan said they remained committed to service.
“We can all live a life of service. The service is universal, the spokesperson said.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of their official role.”
Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, moved with their son Archie to Southern California to live a more independent life and escape the British media. They announced Sunday that they were expecting their second child.
Harry is the second son of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and his first wife Diana, who died in a car accident in Paris in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi.
Reuters
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