After announcing news that they are expecting a second child, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have decided to part ways from Britain’s royal family.
The couple had stated in January 2020 that they would be stepping back from royal duties as Buckingham Palace confirmed their decision in a statement as quoted by NBC News on Friday.
“While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family,”
After speaking with Harry before the announcement, Queen Elizabeth II “has written confirming that in stepping 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,” the statement said.
Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson said they remained “committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role.”
“We can all live a life of service,” the spokesperson added. “Service is universal.”
It’s been a relatively turbulent process for the couple since their wedding with suggestions of a brotherly rift and continuous media scrutiny, as Meghan’s followers believe these claims have veered towards racial harassment and bullying.
When declaring that they would step back from their duties last year, they announced that they looked to balance commitments in the U.K. and North America with the situation being reviewed after 12 months.
The pair recently announced multi-million dollar deals with Spotify and Netflix. Earlier in February, Meghan also won a privacy lawsuit against a British media conglomerate that published parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.
When Meghan spoke to the High Court, she believed that damaged relationships had caused her “very real sadness” following on from media intrusion.
Legal documents also revealed that the 39-year-old felt “unprotected by the institution” of the royal family whilst in the press spotlight throughout her pregnancy with Archie.
Meghan would eventually reveal the struggles of going through her miscarriage in July for a New York Times opinion column that was published in November.
Popular media figure Oprah Winfrey will be interviewing the couple in a 90-minute special episode on CBS that will be released on March 7th. This is likely to have caused discontent within the royal family who are very private about their personal affairs.
Source: NBC News