Relaxed Harry sidesteps questions on future in first public appearance since quitting royals
PRINCE HARRY laughed, joked and hugged his way through his first official public engagement since he and his wife quit as senior royals, triggering a major crisis for the British monarchy.
Despite a week that began with an unprecedented royal summit to discuss he and wife Meghan Markle’s future roles, Harry appeared relaxed and at ease as he took part in the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draw hosted at Buckingham Palace in London.
Harry pulled Ireland out of the pot to face New Zealand, Lebanon and Jamaica in England next year.
He even batted off a journalist’s question about his next move, smiling to a member of his entourage when he was asked “How are the discussions going on your future?”
An Instagram video was later released on the official Sussexroyal account, giving the couple’s 10.8 million followers a montage of his day at the palace.
The Stone Roses song ‘This Is the One’ was the soundtrack to the footage, and it contains the lyric “I’d like to leave the country for a month of Sundays” – but it was not heard in the posting.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has agreed to Harry and Meghan’s wish to step down from their roles, become financially independent and begin a transition period of living in Canada and the UK.
Meghan is in Canada with son Archie and has carried out her second charity visit since returning to the province of British Columbia, where the couple spent six weeks over the festive period.
Justice for Girls, which campaigns for an end to violence, poverty and racism in the lives of teenage girls, has tweeted black and white images of Meghan visiting the organisation in Vancouver.
The ‘Globe and Mail’, one of Canada’s biggest newspapers, has attacked the duke and duchess’s decision to spend part of the year in the
Commonwealth country. The publication said in an editorial: “A royal living in this country does not accord with the long-standing nature of the relationship between Canada and Britain, and Canada and the crown. This country’s unique monarchy, and its delicate yet essential place in our constitutional system, means that a royal resident ... is not something that Canada can allow.”
There is speculation over whether the world cup draw was Harry’s last royal engagement as a senior royal, but Commonwealth Day – celebrated on March 9 – will be the real test.
The day is a major event in the royal calendar that features all leading members of the British monarchy.