Royal couple gives up privileges
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Britain鈥檚 Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will give up their royal titles and public funding as part of a settlement with the Queen to start a new life away from the British monarchy.
The announcement from Buckingham Palace on Saturday follows more than a week of intense private talks aimed at managing the fallout of the globetrotting couple鈥檚 shock resignation from front-line royal duties.
It means Queen Elizabeth II鈥檚 grandson Harry and his American TV actress wife Meghan will stop using the titles 鈥渞oyal highness鈥 鈥 the same fate that befell his late mother Princess Diana after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996.
鈥淔ollowing many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family,鈥 the 93-year-old monarch said in a statement.
鈥淚 recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.鈥
Her comments referred to battles with the media that prompted Harry and Meghan to sue several newspapers in October over intrusions into their private lives.
The Queen said she was 鈥減articularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family鈥 and wished the couple 鈥渁 happy and peaceful new life.鈥
However, Meghan鈥檚 father Thomas Markle has accused his daughter of 鈥渃heapening鈥 the British royal family, in part of an interview released yesterday.
鈥淭his is like one of the greatest long-living institutions ever,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey are destroying it. They are cheapening it. They鈥檙e making it shabby ... They are turning it into a Walmart with a crown.鈥
The statement said: 鈥淎s agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments.
鈥淭hey will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.鈥
The Palace would not comment on who ends up paying for Harry and Meghan鈥檚 security detail in Canada, where the couple are expected to spend much of their time 鈥 an issue of intense public debate.
鈥淭hey are now Mr and Mrs Ordinary,鈥 public relations consultant Mark Borkowski told the UK鈥檚 PA news agency.
鈥淚t鈥檚 still going to be difficult, but not having the royal mark, they can be more free in terms of what they choose to fund them.鈥
The couple are dedicated to environmental causes and are looking to develop their charitable foundation as part of a 鈥減rogressive new role.鈥
Announcing their decision, the couple said: 鈥淲e have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.
鈥淲e now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America.鈥
Their announcement caught the royal family by surprise and created a media sensation in Britain and the wider world.
The Queen鈥檚 ruling drew immediate comparisons to King Edward VIII鈥檚 abdication in 1936. He married American socialite Wallis Simpson the following year and spent much his remaining life abroad.
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