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

[LadyGlendower]

This. Honestly, I only care about them now as it relates to Harry returning home and seeing family. I’m sure they’ll pop up on ET and other entertainment programs, but I won’t be interested.

I’ll be honest, unless H and M come to NYC, I don’t see any NY papers covering them. Even then, I don’t think it will be a big deal. Same for other cities. The U.S. is huge, and we’ve got our own issues to deal with, heaven knows. The only media who will be covering them regularly will be entertainment media, unlike in the UK, where they were real news. So, I wonder just how disappointed they’ll be when they see how NOT a big deal they are here

This is both an Olympics year and an election year for the US. Good luck getting basic news to cover you past Memorial Day. I'm sure entertainment news will include them but as the novelty wears off that will trickle off as well. If I were Meghan I'd be bracing for the inevitable VF article---they launched her so you know they will run a follow up covering "what went wrong". Ouch.

 

[Pranter]

But without the HRH’s aren’t they lower ranking to Bea and Eug who are HRH Princesses?

They are still HRH. They aren't using it. I've seen it said they will use the HRH IF they do engagements for the Queen.


LaRae

 

[poppy7]

Some RR's are saying (they have been asking BP questions) they will still do engagements for the Queen AND they are expected to be at the Trooping etc.

Now it remains to be seen how that all plays out.



LaRae

I think they are home on a Saturday. Flying by the seat. The statement said they would not be representing the crown.

 

[Madame Verseau]

CNN is blasting this now. It's planning a special Harry and Meghan Royal Revolution for tonighr, 9 pm EST.

 

[Helen.CH]

But without the HRH’s aren’t they lower ranking to Bea and Eug who are HRH Princesses?

They have the style! still, they agreed not to use it!

 

[sjetajiem]

I think it would be clearer that they will be Mr Mountbatten Windsor and Mrs Markle.
I suppose the next step will be, them giving up the style

 

[Lumutqueen]

Some RR's are saying (they have been asking BP questions) they will still do engagements for the Queen AND they are expected to be at the Trooping etc.



Now it remains to be seen how that all plays out.







LaRae

Chris Ship has asked about engagements and it’s been confirmed that they will do engagements soon. When asked if it would be Henry and Meghan, he wasn’t given a clear answer.

Trooping is a family event, Henry never got a role to ride on horseback and he can still wear a uniform so I think he’ll be there.

 

[Denville]

They wont use it in their new life.. but they will still Be HRH's...

 

[texankitcat]

I am surprised at the timing since it’s Saturday evening in the U.K. I think the decision was fair considering the position BRF was put in and the unpredictable and reckless actions Meghan and Harry have demonstrated. It’s unfortunate for everyone that it came to this. I hope Harry and Meghan are happy now.

 

[Erin9]

On their Instagram the Sussexes posted the Queen's statement, but not the Palace's. I'm embarassed for them

Figures. HM’s was very kind towards them. The Palace’s laid out the reality.

It is embarrassing, but they did it to themselves. This was completely avoidable. All they had to do was shut up until actual decisions were made.

I think going public- and going public with all that detail- was a negotiating tactic that failed on a spectacularly public level. They rolled the dice. It didn’t work. And it is quite embarrassing for them.

 

[Pranter]

I think they are home on a Saturday. Flying by the seat. The statement said they would not be representing the crown.

Yes and they are shooting questions to BP and posting the replies. The reply to the question "Will there be further royal engagements in the UK for the Sussexes" was "Yes".



LaRae

 

[Tsarinya]

Some RR's are saying (they have been asking BP questions) they will still do engagements for the Queen AND they are expected to be at the Trooping etc.

Now it remains to be seen how that all plays out.



LaRae

They are still HRH. They aren't using it. I've seen it said they will use the HRH IF they do engagements for the Queen.


LaRae

Oh! In that case I don’t know why some people are so happy on social media and such because they haven’t been stripped of their HRHs they just can’t use them.

 

[Denville]

I don’t think it’s cause to celebrate. HM and Charles are suffering personally, and from a practical point of view, the BRF is experiencing a severe shortage of working royals. Archie is losing his extended family ..so is Harry (his father, brother, etc..), but that’s his choice

It is not really good, in that Charles IS losing a large portion of his workforce.. hope he has time to work things out and manage the work. I don't think thtat Meg will ever come back.. and yet I feel that Harry wont be that happy with his new life maybe and then there's the strain of a marriage being pulled 2 ways.
And Im sure it is very painful to Will and Charles to see Harry disappear like this.

 

[poppy7]

Figures. HM’s was very kind towards them. The Palace’s laid out the reality.

It is embarrassing, but they did it to themselves. This was completely avoidable. All they had to do was shut up until actual decisions were made.

I think going public- and going public with all that detail- was a negotiating tactic that failed on a spectacularly public level. They rolled the dice. It didn’t work. And it is quite embarrassing for them.

Not the first, won't be the last. Surrounded by yes men. A North American team who don't understand the monarchy. She doesn't understand the monarchy. He has endless charisma in public but is not academically bright. It was a misfire. Embarrassing.

 

[PrincessKaimi]

Your first paragraph tells me that Harry didn’t adequately prepare Meghan for life with the media, but more importantly it tells me that she’s too concerned with what the media says - Harry as well. She’s not the only one who has had nasty, vicious, and at times vulgar press coverage - Charles and Camilla are good examples, though lord knows not the only ones. If they’d paid any attention to the media - or cared about what was printed- they’d never have gotten in with their lives. If Charles had been debilitated by the press coverage during the Diana years, he’d have never been able to be the remarkable PoW he is. If Meghan expected to be publicly supported by the BRF, then she didn’t do her research, didn’t ask the right questions...and that’s on HER. I’m sure she was offered support in private, but I’m guessing she just didn’t recognize it..

I don't think it's just the media. I think it's comments by citizens online (on news articles, on this forum, on reddit, on instagram, etc). Sure, a person can learn to ignore all of this - but they do not have to ignore it. Meghan is in show business, she's entitled to retain some of her personality traits surely.

The stuff I'm reading shocks me. I've tried to ignore it (by not coming here much, for example or only lurking). But this "Thank god the evil Meghan is not part of MY family" stuff is really off putting and it wouldn't take my DH more than a few glimpses for him to want it to stop (on my behalf). It's not going to stop, of course, but at least now the British public doesn't have the same "rights" to criticize Harry and Meghan and they can definitely avoid British tabloid press way more than in the past. Just living in Canada has got to help with that.

BTW, I do believe the Canadians have earned their reputation for politeness.

 

[Denville]

Yes and they are shooting questions to BP and posting the replies. The reply to the question "Will there be further royal engagements in the UK for the Sussexes" was "Yes".



LaRae

Probably a few, as hey are retaining a few patronages. But when they settle down to new life, is it going to work out that they come back now and again?

 

[tommy100]

Well finally we know the future for the couple. They will in effect be private people, while still being "celebrities".

I think the palace have been looking at the polling of public thoughts and have in many ways met the public expectations:

*repaying the cost of Frogmore and now paying rent on it
*no use of HRH styles but with the option to use them if required and without them being "stripped" of them as Diana was (the perception of wihc the Palace wanted to avoid)
*no public funding (Although the use of Duchy funds has not being commented upon - I suspect thats because its a-not yet decided what will happen with it and b-its seen as Charles private income so we will have to see how the PoW annual report lays it out in May/June time)
*security - well they were never going to comment upon it but given Andrew is said to be loosing some if not all of his police protection I suspect over time the use of "official protection" will be diminished


This is IMO the best solution (though I would add the caveat that they should also not use "SussexRoyal" and use "Sussex" or something else entirely) for all. It makes clear they have not been stripped of royal status, are still members of the royal family in the sense of being part of the sovereign's family, but are expected not to use royal status in this new venture.

As for timing - this fits within the Queen's supposed desire to see it settled "within days" and also, remember most people in the UK read newspapers at the weekend and many Sunday editions are effectively separate publications with their own staff which would cover this story whenever it came - much better to get it done now so the papers can go mad for it over the weekend and into next week with the hope that by this time next week there will be a new focus for the media and the monarchy can in effect move on.

I suspect there are, as was reported, a few sticking issues, a lot of reporters saying the statement was less than they expected in terms of detail, so I bet those undecided issues will be sorted later but to met HM's demand on timing and to get over the headlines BP decided they had enough to show what direction they were taking so announce and add clarity as needed later.

 

[Pranter]

Oh! In that case I don’t know why some people are so happy on social media and such because they haven’t been stripped of their HRHs they just can’t use them.

A lot of ppl have no idea how it really works ..and that includes the media who often post incorrect info when it comes to titles etc.



LaRae

 

[poppy7]

Yes and they are shooting questions to BP and posting the replies. The reply to the question "Will there be further royal engagements in the UK for the Sussexes" was "Yes".



LaRae

I saw family events. Like trooping of the colour. Not engagments.

 

[Curbside]

This seems like a good solution all around. I'm happy for Harry and Meghan.

 

[Denville]

I saw family events. Like trooping of the colour. Not engagments.

That would make more sense that they will still go to family evetns but wont do more than (at best) a bit of minimal charity work....

 

[Pranter]

Probably a few, as hey are retaining a few patronages. But when they settle down to new life, is it going to work out that they come back now and again?

So far the only thing that has been said is that they would be retaining their 'private' (? I think that's the right word) patronages including the QCT.

I would say after things settle down they may dip a toe in and see how it goes.



LaRae

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The problem is, by their recent actions they haven't exactly supported the Queen and the Monarchy. Rather, they have instead insisted that the Queen and the Monarchy support them. I tend now to take their words at face value.

Does it look like Prince Harry and Meghan are placing themselves and their wants to be first?

 

[Pranter]

I saw family events. Like trooping of the colour. Not engagments.

You can ask Chris Ship yourself..he's the one getting responses from BP...I quoted the exact question he asked and the response.


LaRae

 

[Denville]

A lot of ppl have no idea how it really works ..and that includes the media who often post incorrect info when it comes to titles etc.



LaRae

But to be told "you wil still be HRH but we are not letting you use it", is kind of a big limitation.. The RF got some flak for taking away Diana's HRH.. so they dont want to do that, but they've been told not to use theirs.....

 

[Betsypaige]

Figures. HM’s was very kind towards them. The Palace’s laid out the reality.

It is embarrassing, but they did it to themselves. This was completely avoidable. All they had to do was shut up until actual decisions were made.

I think going public- and going public with all that detail- was a negotiating tactic that failed on a spectacularly public level. They rolled the dice. It didn’t work. And it is quite embarrassing for them.

Peter Hunt, ex-BBCer, thinks M and H win and the Monarchy “lost - big time”. I’m like, huh? Ok, they do have to figure out who else will become working royals, but the institution is and will be just fine.

 

[soapstar]

I would say after things settle down they may dip a toe in and see how it goes. LaRae

I seriously doubt this will happen. The BP statement is very clear. Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals and will not be doing any work for the Queen.

Some RR's are saying (they have been asking BP questions) they will still do engagements for the Queen AND they are expected to be at the Trooping etc. LaRae

BP won’t say if Meghan will be doing any engagements, so it’s quite possible that it will only be Harry.

This is interesting. While Charles will be helping out financially, the money may not be coming from the Duchy. I imagine this is one of the things they are still trying to work out (along with the use of Sussex Royal and their security).

@byEmilyAndrews

Prince Charles will continue to offer “private financial support” to Harry & Meghan but apparently it MAY not be Duchy money. Unclear at this stage. Also unclear if SussexRoyal can still stand as H&M’s Branding. We think not, but still no official guidance on that.

 

[poppy7]

So far the only thing that has been said is that they would be retaining their 'private' (? I think that's the right word) patronages including the QCT.

I would say after things settle down they may dip a toe in and see how it goes.



LaRae

A lot of charities will drop them. Just the way it goes. He will keep the Invictus Games and Sentable. The commonwealth stuff will go. The rugby said they wanted him but noenhe isn't royal anymore technically. They will want a working one too.

 

[Denville]

So far the only thing that has been said is that they would be retaining their 'private' (? I think that's the right word) patronages including the QCT.

I would say after things settle down they may dip a toe in and see how it goes.



LaRae

I don't think so. I think the message has been clear that they're not really here except as part timers and visitors. if they want to achieve financial independence they wll not be able to devote themsleves to the UK or CW causes.

 

[Erin9]

This seems like a good solution all around. I'm happy for Harry and Meghan.

I doubt they are really “happy”. This wasn’t their plan. They told us what they wanted.

What they got- their family wouldn’t have denied them anyway- the move and financial freedom.

The public negotiating tactic failed.