The Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to retire from public life and will divide their time between the United Kingdom and Canada
After a tough 2019 amid public scrutiny, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed they are retiring as British royals. "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen this year to begin a smooth transition into our new role at this institution," Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle, 38, announced in a statement.
They added: “We intend to step back as members of the royal family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty, Her Queen. It is with her encouragement, particularly in recent years, that we feel prepared to make this change. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages," added the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who became parents to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor last May. who does not bear a noble title?
“This geographic balance will allow us to raise our son with an appreciation of the royal tradition into which he was born, while giving our family the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charity. We look forward to sharing all the details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to engage with Her Majesty, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our most sincere thanks for your continued support," the Duke and Duchess of Sussex concluded in the statement they posted on their different social networks.
The decision comes days after the royal couple took a six-week vacation in Canada. They spent some family time with their eight-month-old son Archie and the former actress's mother. After much speculation, the royal couple finally confirmed that they have decided to abandon their royal duties and retire from public life.
The dukes - who married in May 2018 in a majestic wedding at Windsor Castle - had decided to spend the holidays away from the Queen and the rest of the royal family. Now, as they have communicated, their home will be between the United Kingdom and North America.
Harry and Meghan's marriage has been hit by harsh criticism from the press for their excessive spending and desperate attempt at privacy, as they even refused to reveal where their son Archie was born and who his godparents were.
In a documentary filmed in South Africa, the couple acknowledged that it was not okay with the comments against them, and Harry admitted that he had grown estranged from his older brother, Prince William. Although they were nicknamed the "Fab Four" (Fantastic Four), William, his wife Kate Middleton, and Harry and Meghan separated from their royal foundation last year. Harry and Meghan will launch their own organization, called Royal Sussex.
Markle was seen earlier on Wednesday at the National Theater in London, of which she is a patron, while the couple visited the Canadian embassy in London on Tuesday to thank them for their hospitality during their expensive vacation in North America.
The Los Angeles-born Duchess lived in Toronto when she was working as an actress on Suits, and she described Canada as a second home. The dukes and their son stayed at a $10 million beachfront mansion in one of the most beautiful spots on Vancouver Island and were seen walking with friends around the area.
The announcement does not attract attention after the dukes themselves acknowledged that they were "not well" due to the tough battle they were facing with some British tabloids.
In October, Harry announced that his wife was taking legal action against a tabloid for publishing a private letter to her father. "I lost my mother and now I see my wife being a victim of the same powerful forces," said Lady Di's youngest son in a harsh statement.
Markle sued Britain's The Mail on Sunday newspaper and its parent company, Associated Newspapers, for "misuse of private information, copyright infringement."
"This relentless propaganda comes at a human cost, specifically when it is deliberately false and malicious, and while we have moved on, I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been," Harry said in the lengthy note.
In the legal complaint filed before the Court, the Duchess also accused the aforementioned British tabloid of telling "false" and "absurd" stories related to different aspects of her life for more than three years, such as the renovation of her Windsor residence, Frogmore. Cottage, or the baby shower that was held in New York.
Last year, the royal couple left Kensington Palace, where they lived with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to move into their new home, Frogmore Cottage. The mansion is located in the gardens adjoining Windsor Castle. According to the information provided by the Crown, the renovation of the house cost USD 3.5 million to the public coffers.
