FREEDOM... AT A PRICE
● Couple ordered to stop using HRH ● Repay taxpayers £2.4m for cottage ● Must step down from all royal duties ● Queen wishes them a ‘happy life’
THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex will stop using their HRH titles and repay more than £2.4million to taxpayers after hammering out a deal to quit their royal roles.
They will become known as Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and will no longer undertake official duties on behalf of the Queen from the spring.
In an extraordinary statement last night, Her Majesty said she hoped it will allow them to start building a “happy and peaceful
new life. Harry will have to give up his military appointments and their official patronages in which they represent the Queen.
In last night’s statement, Buckingham Palace announced the terms of a deal allowing them to walk away from the monarchy after 10 days of negotiations. They involved the households of the 93-year-old monarch, Prince Charles, the Sussexes, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Sussexes and their eightmonth-old son Archie will spend most of the year living in North America but will retain their UK home at Frogmore Cottage in the grounds ofwindsor Castle.
Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, have agreed to pay rent for the cottage and cover maintenance costs.
They will also refund the taxpayer the bill – £2.4million in the first tranche – for refurbishing the house.
But they will continue to receive “private financial support” from Charles. He currently gives them an estimated £2.5million of his £21million annual income from the Duchy of Cornwall estate.
Charles’s aides declined to say whether the cash would come from the Duchy revenue or Charles’s private income.
It follows opposition from the public, who have indicated in polls that they do not want to see the couple getting money from the Duchy.
Harry and Meghan will not lose their HRH titles but have agreed not to use them. They are also stepping down from official patronages in which they represent the Queen.
These include Harry’s role as Captain General Royal Marines and two military patronages – as Commodore-in-chief, Small Ships and Diving, and Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington.
He will also stand down from his role as the Queen’s Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.
But both will keep their other patronages, including their roles as president and vice president of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.
Under the terms of the deal, they will be free to earn an income but have agreed that, at all times, they will uphold the “values of the Queen” and follow the Nolan principles of public life – acting with integrity, objectivity, openly and transparently. However, it remains unclear how they will make commercial deals and adhere to those tenets. The sixth in line to the throne and his wife are still negotiating with the monarch and other members of the family over whether they can continue to call their new charitable foundation and social media account Sussex Royal.
The whole agreement, including the loose ends to be tied up, will be reviewed by the Palace and the other households after a year.
Her Majesty, who has been disappointed and angered at times by the Sussexes’ attitude, reluctantly agreed to let them go with her best wishes. In a statement last night she made it clear that they were still much-loved members of her family and singled out Meghan.
“Following 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,” she said.
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family. I recognise 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.
“I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.
“It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”
It was made clear that the couple would continue to attend family gatherings. Both will still support their charities and undertake engagements with them but they
will no longer be classified as official royal duties and the taxpayer will not pay for any of the costs through the Sovereign Grant.
In a statement on behalf of the couple, the Palace said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
“As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments. They will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.
“With the Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent the Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.
“The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home.”
Who pays for the couple’s security remains unclear. Home Secretary Priti Patel is overseeing a review and in Canada, where the Sussexes are expected to base themselves, politicians are debating whether their taxpayers should cough up.
In its statement, the Sussexes’ office said: “Buckingham Palace does not comment on the details of security arrangements. There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly funded security. This new model will take effect in the spring.”
Last night a source said that the Royal Family and the Sussexes “were pleased” to have reached a “successful conclusion” to the talks.
The source said: “The issues involved are complicated and necessitated a number of detailed conversations but everyone was pleased to have got here today.”
Royal author Penny Junor said the deal was “good news” for the pair.
She said: “It is the best possible outcome, one which will avoid catastrophe. They are starting afresh and they are going with the Queen’s blessing. It is the best of all worlds.”
One charity that Harry is deeply involved with, the Invictus Games Foundation, was pleased to maintain their links. It said: “We are confident of the continued commitment to wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, and of the role the Duke will continue to play.”
On the evening before the announcement, a relaxed Harry had been spotted enjoying a threehour low-key dinner and drinks with friends at Brook House Pub in Fulham, south-west London.
One fellow diner said: “He seemed very happy, relaxed.”
‘Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family...’
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN