The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Step Back as Senior Royals: January 2020

[christinacg]

It’s interesting that the people who have been complaining about them for months, who have said they aren’t worthy of their royal status, are now criticizing them for stepping back and not being “dedicated enough”. They can’t ever win, and that is why this is the right move for them. I wish them the best.

 

[Elenath]

And I would be extremely surprised if this wasn't talked through with other senior members of the BRF.

 

[LadyGlendower]

Wow. Interesting mix of pr and legalese in that statement. I really don't know what to think but my gut is saying "not good" and I'm not quite sure why at this point.

 

[sm1939]

Really hope they don’t make money by using there title like the Duchess of York.

 

[principessa]

What will happen to his organisation Sentebale and the Invictus Games? Will he quit his work there or will he continue his work?

 

[Zaira]

Their own little royal reporter has some insight into how Meghan and Henry plan to work with the press and media in 2020;

https://twitter.com/x/status/1214986277583511552

Its nothing special to him, its literally from their website.

 

[SLV]

Wow, that is quite a step to take.
I wish them well.

 

[victor1319]

"After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen...

We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support."
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/monarchalypse-harry-meghan-step-back-senior-royals


What? So, they want to continue to "support the Queen" and "continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties" but be independent?

Sorry, sounds half baked to me!

More like: We want to live off out titles... A new Märtha Luise of Norway thingy incoming...

 

[Osipi]

I’m not shocked at all. This has been a while coming. I wonder if they’ll be in Canada or the US, and I’m assuming that’s where they’ll be raising their children and sending them to school. I do think it’s a shame how separated they’ve become from the rest of the RF.

What I’m wondering is what the family will look like without Harry and Meghan being senior royals once the throne passes to Charles, and before William and Kate’s children are old enough to play a role. Will Anne, and Edward and Sophie, need to keep up their major supporting roles? Will Beatrice and Eugenie or Edward’s children need to step up?

I may be way off base here but I'm going to state my gut reaction. First off, I took the "financially independent" part to mean that their royal foundation will not be dependent on the Sovereign Grant but its own entity that will be the hub for all of Harry and Meghan's philanthropic work. Perhaps this is all in accord with plans going into the future with Charles' reign and the proverbial rumor that's floated around for years that the slimming down of the monarchy is in the works. I don't see this changing the incentives and the work they've already committed to but rather, it'll be separate from the "Firm". Kind of like a company that splits into two different entities that still collaborate and work together towards a common goal with the "Firm" as the parent company and the Sussex Royal Foundation as a subsidiary company but financially independent.

I also don't see the Sussex family moving away either. Actually, I don't think much *will* change except that the financing and office and staff will be independent from the "Firm". The statement says that they're collaborating with the Queen and Charles and William so this makes me think that they're all working on this move and its not the awful, disappointing thing that it seems to be right now.

Then again, I could be very, very wrong. It happens more often than not.

 

[Muhler]

If that makes them happy, so be it.

The more, shall we say, political stand and involvement of Sussex'es would again and again collide with the main interests of the BRF as a whole. Which is to be a neutral as possible in most areas and be a focal point, rather than a debating issue.
Now they are free to pursue their own happiness, but also become more and more directly involved in the issues near and dear to them - but in their own right.
And they can do it from whatever base, they prefer. So perhaps they will settle more or less permanently in USA?

 

[teddymac]

I see them as two ungrateful brats. As a Canadian, please don't move here!

 

[Nico]

Best solution for everyone involved i guess.
They were clearly not happy with the current system, so they decided to step back (even if i wonder how it will work in reality with the income from the Duchy of Cornwall , HRH titles etc ...).
The Crown isn't a fairy tale, it's a strong, difficult, selfish and ungrateful beast. And if you're not ready to make strong personnal sacrifices, well, like any other firm if you don't agree with the rules, well just quit.
Good luck to them, as i suspect the future will not be smooth sailing either ...

 

[wyevale]

Don't you think that's going a bit far.

Not at all : They will both have to learn that “royalty” is not a dip in/dip out option. And that they have decided to be “out”.

As the Duke of Windsor found out - the closing of ranks can be brutal..

 

[Somebody]

It seems really odd; and many phrases in this statement (that isn't really clear; but maybe they don't really know themselves how things will work out) raise questions:
* 'A progressive new role' (what does that look like? And are they sure that won't hurt that same institution?)
* 'Financially independent' (sounds rather commercial; also based on how they have handled their brand so far; I think we've learned from Andrew that looking for financial success is tricky as a member of the royal family)
* 'continuing to fully support the queen' (but how?)
* 'It is with your encouragement' (whose?)
* 'particularly over the last few years' (they only got engaged two years ago; so this was the plan from the start?)
* 'we now plan to balance our time between' (maybe I'm naïve; would it really have been impossible for them to do so as senior royals - especially if North America would be 'Canada'?)
* 'continuing to honor our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth and the Patronages' (how? All steps so far were taken with the expectations that they would be full-time senior royals focusing on the Commonwealth and in doing so representing the Queen - not their own 'Sussex Royal Foundation'/brand?)
* 'including the launch of our new charitable entity' (I assume this is the Sussex Royal one? But, is it still royal if you don't want to be senior royals any longer? And how did their roles as senior royals prevent them from working on their charitable entity? - I do now understand why it was impossible to continue under the Royal Foundation...)
* 'we look forward to sharing the full details as we work with...' (sounds as if the plan isn't clear yet and I am not so sure that everyone is on board with it; but I assume there is little they can do once Harry and Meghan made this decision (and even more so after them announcing it publicly); and now they just have to find a way to make it work somehow)

 

[Elenath]

Not at all : They will both have to learn that “royalty” is not a dip in/dip out option. And that they have decided to be “out”.

As the duke of windsor found out - the closing of ranks can be brutal..

I think the Dutch Royal Family would disagree with you.

 

[irish_royalist]

Quite - 'application' and hard work are clearly anathema to the 'Duchess' - i'm delighted , and millions of Brits will feel the same this evening..

I hope they will be renouncing their Titles, and starting their new life as Mr & Mrs. Mountbatten-Windsor

Looks like they're keen to retain their titles - they seem to want to inhabit some sort of 'hybrid world', where they can have the benefits and glamour of being 'royals', without the responsibilities and duties of being 'senior royals'.
That may improve their profile in North America, but I feel they will lose whatever kudos they have in the UK.
If times get hard, Meghan could always try selling juicers on the QVC channel - there is a precedent!

 

[Erin9]

The Duke and Duchess to step back as Senior Royals: January 2020.

Sounds complicated to me:

Become financially independent, still support The Queen and their commitments, not be “senior” royals. But still be Royal. Live in 2 countries.

Sounds like more work for senior royals too.

 

[Somebody]

What I’m wondering is what the family will look like without Harry and Meghan being senior royals once the throne passes to Charles, and before William and Kate’s children are old enough to play a role. Will Anne, and Edward and Sophie, need to keep up their major supporting roles? Will Beatrice and Eugenie or Edward’s children need to step up?

It's clear that at least Edward and Sophie will be needed for a long time to come. And I expect Anne to keep working as well.

I don't expect they will ask Beatrice and Eugenie to become full-time royals but they might be asked a bit more often to do some support work. We'll have to see. It's especially a big blow to Charles that his own son decided to quit.

 

[HRHHermione]

I think this is going to go poorly. I hope I’m wrong, but I really wish they hadn’t rushed this decision. I think they’ll get far more scrutiny this way than if they had just been quiet and done very low key work for a while.

I really like Meghan and think she could have been a tremendous asset to the royal family, but I don’t think she was prepared for how her life would change. How could she have been? It’s not like anything anyone else goes through and she and Harry didn’t date very long before they got married. Kate had the benefit of ten years of experience before her marriage and she went in knowing fully what she was getting into in a way that wasn’t possible for Meghan.

I hope that whatever happens they’re happier, but I think this is the start of months of scrutiny into every small thing they do and how it’s paid for.

 

[Pranter]

If that makes them happy, so be it.

The more, shall we say, political stand and involvement of Sussex'es would again and again collide with the main interests of the BRF as a whole. Which is to be a neutral as possible in most areas and be a focal point, rather than a debating issue.
Now they are free to pursue their own happiness, but also become more and more directly involved in the issues near and dear to them - but in their own right.
And they can do it from whatever base, they prefer. So perhaps they will settle more or less permanently in USA?

I think it will be Canada. I don't think Meghan has any great affinity to live in the U.S. and they both seem to really love Canada. At this point they are talking about splitting time between the countries.


LaRae

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Quite frankly, I do not see that there is such a thing as a "part time royal."

I don't think people will be okay with paying for RPOs for them and their son, so they will need private security.

This is very odd.

 

[acdc1]

Would this be somewhat akin to the situation of Princess Madeleine of Sweden?

 

[wyevale]

the Dutch Royal Family would disagree with you.

Indeed they might, but the BFR has always valued [and expected] 'Duty' and loyalty in return for the bounty and privilege Royalty confers..

Put yourself outside that, and you become 'beyond the pale'..

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

To me it sounds they will make a living as royal celebrities, picking and choosing what suits best, making money out of title and position. Having your cake and eat it too has rarely ended well and I don't think it will in this case.

You can't be 'a little bit royal'. And of course they will have to intention to do a full cut and give up the HRHs.

The scrutiny will only get worse, who pays for what, where is the money coming from on what basis? And the paps will not accept a 'private' Sussex family.
The circus will continue.

 

[Somebody]

I’m not shocked at all. This has been a while coming. I wonder if they’ll be in Canada or the US, and I’m assuming that’s where they’ll be raising their children and sending them to school. I do think it’s a shame how separated they’ve become from the rest of the RF.

I don't know whether they decided on the schooling yet; but sounds like a likely option.

It would be logical if soon an announcement is made that Archie will remain 'master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor' and not become a royal highness upon his grandfather's succession to the throne now his parents made it clear they are not fully into it anymore.

And yes, it's really said how they seem to have separated themselves from the rest of the family. In all families, it matters a lot whom someone marries. It can either strengthen the relationships or weaken them (or even lead to alienation). Unfortunately, it seems the latter has been the case. It's a stark contrast to Harry and Meghan only 2 years ago being so enthusiastic about their future roles within the commonwealth.

 

[ACO]

I get the feeling this was not rushed. It seemed they really reflected on things and clearly is a signal of how bad things have got within the family if they felt this was the only option for them. Clearly they think the risk is worth it.

Their website answers a lot of question including why they turned down the KP apartment in favor of Frogmore. I clearly were thinking far in advance about their finances. And honestly we barely see then outside of their duties. We never saw them during this break.

I think that is what they want.

 

[Somebody]

It means they have been cut off financially. I don’t think this is voluntary. I think they were asked to leave.

Why would you think that?

 

[amaryllus]

It’s not that complicated: they want the perks and honors of being Royalty (And get praised presumably) but they don’t actually want to do mundane and unglamorous work a day Royal duties And Live in Britain with all that entails (unless of course they feel like It!)

Going to Africa and get accolades Is more fun Than visiting small charities and family businesses in the British countryside Amirite?

 

[Somebody]

I mean...senior royals?

but perhaps this is for the best. Paired down royalty has seemed to work for some of the other countries, even if they are smaller, but it may be best for the British to have just a few members who work.

And I think it has been pretty clear that Harry and Meghan want something different for their son. Good for them.

Good luck to them in their future! I'm so curious to see what role Meghan will carve for herself.

I don't think this is really about their son. Of course we are not privy to lots of details and it might be a small part of the equation; but Archie so far lived a fairly normal although extremely privileged life; and he was not expected to perform royal duties. He will most likely still attend private education etc.

 

[Mbruno]

Quite - 'application' and hard work are clearly anathema to the 'Duchess' - i'm delighted , and millions of Brits will feel the same this evening..

I hope they will be renouncing their Titles, and starting their new life as Mr & Mrs. Mountbatten-Windsor

That is crazy. I can’t think of anyone so high up in the royal hierarchy ( other than King Edward VIII of course) renouncing his/her title in recent times and, when it happens, it is because of some serious external factor.

I hope that, one day, what really happened behind the scenes is fully clarified and revealed.