Prince Harry, Meghan step back from royal roles
BRITAIN’S Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have announced they will step back from senior roles in the royal family – a move that raises questions about how they will earn an income, who will pay for their security, and what their new positions will involve.
Exactly how they will combine private work and royal duties remains unclear. The couple, in an initial statement, said they hoped to become financially independent and set up a new charity, while continuing some royal duties.
Harry and Meghan said in a question-and-answer section of their new website https://sussexroyal.com that they are seeking financial independence from the monarchy’s funding, known as the “Sovereign Grant”. This is a government handout that covers the running costs of the royal household and travel expenses.
The couple said the grant was equivalent to 5% of their income towards running their official office.
They did not say if they would give up the remaining 95% which comes from Prince Charles’s centuries-old private estate.
By foregoing money from the taxpayer, the couple indicated they would seek some form of private income.
“They value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing,” the statement said. “For this reason they have made the choice to become members of the Royal Family with financial independence.”
They said they now planned to divide their time between the UK and North America.
They would continue to base themselves at Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of the queen’s Windsor Castle when in the UK. The property was recently renovated at a cost of £2.4million (R44m) by taxpayers.
Harry and Meghan spent the last six weeks of 2019 in Canada and their first official appearance of 2020 was a trip to Canada House in London, home of Canada’s diplomatic mission to Britain. The couple made clear that they expected the government to continue to finance their security costs as mandated by the Home Office, which is responsible for the security of the royal family.
The couple’s new website, Sussex Royal, does not outline how they intend to fund themselves in future.
Some of the queen’s other grandchildren work, including Prince Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, who work in business and the arts.
Last year, it was reported that Harry would be executive producer of a documentary on mental health with US television mogul Oprah Winfrey for Apple’s video streaming service.
Royal biographer Penny Junor suggested Meghan, who starred in TV legal drama might revive her acting career, given the demand and fees she could command.
Six months ago, Harry and Meghan applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office to trademark the phrases “Sussex Royal” and “Sussex Royal Foundation” for use on books, stationery, clothing such as pyjamas and socks, charity campaigns and the provision of training, sport and social care.
The couple announced they were to radically change media access to their official engagements.