Harry and Meghan won’t return as working royals
LONDON: Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will not be returning to royal duties, and Harry will give up his honorary military titles – a decision that makes formal, and final, the split from the royal family.
When Harry and Meghan stepped away from full-time royal life in March 2020, unhappy at media scrutiny and the strictures of their roles, it was agreed that the situation would be reviewed after a year.
Now it has, and the palace said in a statement on Friday that the couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have verified “they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family”.
It said Queen Elizabeth II had spoken to 36-year-old Harry and confirmed “that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.”
The palace said Harry’s appointment as captain general of the Royal Marines and titles with other military groups would revert to the queen before being distributed to other members of the family.
“While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family,” the palace statement said.
In 2020, Meghan and Harry announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media toward the duchess, who identifies as biracial.
The couple agreed to no longer use the title “royal highness” or receive public funds for their work, although it was unclear at the time if those decisions would stand.
The couple, whose new website is Archewell.com, will speak to Oprah Winfrey in a “wide-ranging” interview to be broadcast on CBS next month.
The interview was announced just a day after the couple revealed Meghan’s second pregnancy.
Angela Levin, who has written a biography of Prince Harry, said the queen’s anxiety about what the Winfrey interview might disclose may have prompted the royal family to announce the split with Harry and Meghan sooner than planned.
“They’re out on their own,” she said. “They’ve got the freedom that they longed for.”