Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will ‘step back’ as senior members of the royal family, the couple announced to the world on Wednesday. In a statement, they also said that they plan to balance their time between the UK and North America and “work to be financially independent”.
“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,” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement, which was also posted on Instagram.
Not only did the statement stun everyone around the world, but they also stunned the British monarchs themselves. Reportedly, the statement was released without consulting Queen Elizabeth II. Even his father Prince Charles, or his brother Prince William, were not informed about this decision.
The news follows a turbulent year for the royal couple, who have been very vocal about their struggle with the constant media scrutiny, and reacted badly to the negative media coverage.
“We have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple said.
In response to this shocking news, a statement from Buckingham Palace said that the discussions with Prince Harry and Meghan are still at an early stage and the issue is complicated.
Talking about how the royal family responded to the news, the BBC royal correspondent, Jonny Daymond said, “I think it indicates a real strength of feeling in the palace tonight–maybe not so much about what has been done but about how it has been done–and the lack of consultation I think will sting. This is clearly a major rift between Harry and Meghan on one part, and the rest of the Royal Family on the other.”
Twitter reacts to ‘shocking’ announcement
Social media has been in a complete frenzy after hearing the news, and to many, it confirmed the fears that Meghan had been struggling to cope with royal life and negative attention from the British media. The Duchess of Sussex had previously admitted that it had been a “struggle” to become a mother while living under an intense media spotlight. Together, Prince Harry and Meghan had even taken legal action against British tabloid The Mail for alleged invasion of privacy.
People all over the world have been so affected by this news that #Megxit has been trending on Twitter ever since the announcement. Here are some of the reactions:
We still don’t know what the repercussions of this are for the royal family or if the rift between them is permanent, but we hope it all works out to suit everyone’s preferences soon.
Featured Image: Instagram
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