Queen grants a soft Megxit
ROYAL CRISIS PAGES 6,7,8&9
PRINCE Harry and Meghan’s high-stakes gamble has paid off as the Queen gave her reluctant blessing for the couple to break away from The Firm.
It means they have won the freedom they crave without alienating the monarch, which would have risked harming their brand as they set out to build their own fortune.
After a two-hour Sandringham summit, the 93-year-old released a rare statement in which she referred to the pair simply as Harry and Meghan and “the Sussexes” instead of using their formal titles.
Royal sources suggested it could be a clue as to what the future holds as they start a new life outside the royal fold with eight-month-old son Archie.
The Queen told with sadness how she would have preferred Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, to fully remain part of the royal family but had agreed to set them free.
It is thought the pair will now take a very much reduced role with the monarchy after the Queen spoke of the need for a period of transition.
During that period, they will divide their time between the UK and Canada, where they spent their six-week Christmas break and where Meghan returned last week to be reunited with Archie.
The Queen had summoned Harry to her Sandringham estate in Norfolk to formulate an immediate plan of action with her direct heirs Prince Charles and Prince William. Meghan, 38, was not at the meeting as she remained in North America but is understood to have been kept fully briefed. Prince Philip, 98, who lives at Wood Farm on the Norfolk estate, is said to have been angered by the Sussexes’ behaviour and was seen being driven away shortly before the meeting began. But after two hours of talks, the Queen finally took back control of the situation that had appeared to threaten the very foundations of the monarchy.
Just half an hour after the synchronised departures of Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry shortly before 4pm, she said in a statement: “Today, my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.
“These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
It was a clear signal from the Queen that she is taking ultimate responsibility for how the split is handled, so the finger of blame stops being pointed at Charles and William.
A royal source said: “The situation has been calmed considerably, owing to the Queen taking control of the situation. For the first time in months, since there were murmurings that Harry and Meghan were planning to quit the family, everybody is finally in agreement of a workable way forward.
“It remains to be seen just how that
For the first time in months, everyone agrees PALACE SOURCE AFTER YESTERDAY’S MEETING
will work, or even if it can in a way that will satisfy everyone.
“But what has been decided at this most historic meeting is everyone will at least try. There is a great feeling of sadness in the family and that will take a long time to heal.”
Harry is expected to return to Canada later in the week. It is not known when he will be back in Britain.
The Queen called the summit on Saturday as emotions threatened to boil over following the couple’s announcement last week that they intended to quit their roles just 20 months after they wed.
They consulted neither the Queen nor Charles before announcing their move on Instagram – a step seen as impertinent and premature. Charles and William are understood to have been “deeply saddened” but are now in agreement with the Queen over the way to move forward.
A palace source said: “There have been great calls for calm after a very emotional time.”
Harry is expected to fulfil an engagement at Buckingham Palace for the Rugby League World Cup draw before returning to Canada.
Tomorrow, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travel to Bradford, Yorkshire, where they will visit a number of community projects. Royal aides will now begin the difficult task of looking at existing engagements for both Harry and Meghan in the diary. Royal author Penny Junor said before yesterday’s summit that it was crucial for the rest of the royal family to keep Harry and Meghan on side as they broke away. She said: “Whatever the outcome of this meeting, what is absolutely imperative, in my view, is that Harry and Meghan do not go away feeling angry and hurt and rejected. Because an angry, hurt, rejected Harry and Meghan could cause absolute havoc for the Royal Family. If they don’t care any more, if they want to show them, if they want to get their own back, it could get very nasty. They could go completely rogue. “I think the Queen is being very optimistic in hoping it will all be done by tea time. There’s a lot to sort out here and a lot of emotion to deal with. “They have to remember they’re not just dealing with a prince and duchess, they’re dealing with, I suspect, a pretty vulnerable couple at the moment.”
The situation has been calmed considerably, due to the Queen taking control ROYAL SOURCE ON OUTCOME OF THE SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT
THEY had hardly seen each other for months, then just after lunch they came together in a meeting designed to save the monarchy.
In the Long Library of the family’s 19th century Sandringham estate, the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry agreed to find a resolution to this damaging crisis.
Harry stuck to his guns and walked away as the winner.
The Queen had appealed for calm after days of rising tension among her family and household staff that had threatened to boil over.
Those battling against the winds of change as Harry and wife Meghan plotted their move away were beckoned to the table to carve a way forward.
With the world’s eyes on this corner of Norfolk, the 93-year-old monarch presided over one of the most extraordinary days of her seven-decade reign.
Chairing the meeting, across a large, polished table with room for eight chairs, the Queen and her family set out their vision of how a new version of the monarchy would emerge.
This new era will be shaped by the likes of the Queen’s private secretary Sir Edward Young, Charles’ canny private secretary Clive Alderton, William’s top aide and former civil servant Simon Case, and Harry’s private secretary, ex-diplomat Fiona Mcilwham.
During two hours of intense talks yesterday, the royals and aides thrashed out the framework of a deal to stop the Duke and Duchess of Sussex permanently turning their backs on the family.
But the brutal reality remained – little over 20 months after their wedding captured the hearts of the nation, Harry and Meghan had effectively resigned from the Firm, citing feelings of relentless pressure and not being supported well
enough. It was with a heavy heart the Queen accepted her grandson’s request for him and his wife to step back as senior royals.
Harry and Meghan, who have patented more than 100 items including bandannas, could earn millions thanks to her star power.
But senior royals still hope they can persuade the couple to alter course, and plan a soft Megxit to safeguard their future and the monarchy for a generation.
Sources revealed the family set six main points to be agreed on before real change could happen. Crucially with the Queen’s blessing,
Harry and Meghan will split their time between the UK and Canada during “a period of transition”, nullifying the need for the immense haste the pair talked of.
Central to talks was how the couple might become “financially independent”. They would stop claiming public funds, thought to be more than £1million a year, but probably still claim expenses for travel and office costs.
The couple, worth more than £35million, are yet to announce if they will give up the £2.3million a year subsidy from Charles’ private income. Their security bill has still to be thrashed out. It is between £600,000 and £1million, and would be more if they divide their time between countries. They were buoyed yesterday by reports the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has agreed to foot the bill when the pair are in his country.
The Queen’s advisers made clear the couple’s responsibility when signing corporate deals – and Harry agreed not to bring controversy.
He also said neither he nor his wife plan to do a “tell all” interview.
The Sussexes are expected to keep Frogmore Cottage, revamped last year with £2.4million of taxpayers’ money.
After the meeting, Harry, William and Charles staged a synchronised exit from the estate in separate cars.
The Queen was left to consider what the future will look like for her family and the country she has served with such distinction.