The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Charities and Patronages

[Nico]

Nothing new here, just the ultimate confirmation of last year's shenanigans. [...]

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by AC21091968

Thank you iceflower for the latest updates, official announcement and link!! It is great to hear from the Palace with official statement after several days of leaks and speculation from the press.

I’m not surprised by The Queen and Palace’s decision, especially given that Harry and Meghan are more likely to settle in America rather than the UK. It does make sense that the Charities patronages and military honorary titles will be re-assigned to other working royals who are representing The Queen and serving the country.

It is the right thing to do and a logical conclusion to their departure from the UK. No surprise really here.


I am pretty sure the couple will forge a new career with their private charity projects in the US and elsewhere.

[Curryong]

It was expected, but the couple have a new life they are enjoying and don't wish to return to the Royal round. They have private charities in the UK they will be returning for and will work with others under the Archewell banner in the future.

[QueenMathilde]

The Queen confirms Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will NOT be returning as royals and will be stripped of their roles before they are handed to other 'working members of the family'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-royals.html

[Elly C]

A sad but inevitable conclusion to this sad state of affairs. I think there was little choice but for Harry to have to relinquish these titles. The royals are quite actively involved in their patronages, in ways which often don’t get any publicity. Unless they were prepared to spend some considerable time in the UK, it just wouldn’t work.

[AC21091968]

Originally Posted by Alison H

I think a lot of hats would have been eaten if the announcement had said anything else. It was sensible to say that things would be reviewed after a year, to give them the option of coming back, but it soon became pretty clear that they weren't going to.


It's the right decision, but it'll be interesting to see who takes over all these things. All the senior royals have got a lot on already, and Harry was a good fit for both rugby codes and for the military/naval organisations.

I think The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Earl and Countess of Wessex and The Princess Royal can potentially take over some of Harry & Meghan’s old patronages. The Earl of Wessex would be a great patron for The National Theatre, given that he worked for Andrew Lloyd Webber and interested in theatre. I think he would also be great in the Commonwealth youth trust, given that he had been actively involved in The Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

For Royal Marines, the rumours suggested The Princess Royal or The Duke of Cambridge.

I think it can go either way or unexpected

[ACO]

I think this was for the best. Also glad we didn’t have to go more weeks of the media nonsense about it. The review is officially done. It’s over.

[AC21091968]

From the Sussex’s statement from Chris Ship’s Twitter:

Chris Ship @chrisshipitv
Replying to @chrisshipitv
Now statement from Harry and Meghan office: The couple “remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.”
11:06 PM · Feb 19, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

Chris Ship @chrisshipitv
Replying to @chrisshipitv
Harry and Meghan add at the very end of their statement: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
11:06 PM · Feb 19, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

https://mobile.twitter.com/chrisship...35325056032768

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by AC21091968

From the Sussex’s statement from Chris Ship’s Twitter:

Chris Ship @chrisshipitv
Replying to @chrisshipitv
Now statement from Harry and Meghan office: The couple “remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.”
11:06 PM · Feb 19, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

Chris Ship @chrisshipitv
Replying to @chrisshipitv
Harry and Meghan add at the very end of their statement: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
11:06 PM · Feb 19, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

https://mobile.twitter.com/chrisshipitv/status/1362735325056032768

That is a rather odd statement by the Sussexes. They have been officially removed from all miltary honorary appointments and official royal/Commonwealth patronages, but they are suggesting that, if those organizations from which they were officially severed want to continue to have them, they will be glad to keep serving or representing them? As if that would even be possible?


Should we conclude that they are not happy with the decision that was made about their future role?

[Somebody]

Some observations: The queen only discussed with The Duke; the BRF keeps reminding people that the pair remain 'beloved members of the family' while H&M's statement only confirms that they are unfit for the role by diminishing the importance of the work and true life of service by the royals; and offers no 'branch' to heal the rift they created.

[Blog Real]

I'm sad about this Harry and Meghan decision, but it was already expected.

[PrincessofEurope]

Disappointing but hardly surprising

[...]

Ive tried to give them the benefit of the doubt - but I'm sorry Harry's duty should have been to serve his grandmother, father and brother and I find his decision entirely selfish. No one is bigger than the Monarch.

[...]

[PrincessofEurope]

[...]

They are leaving a massive gap in the Royal family - an institution where the majority of the members are OAP's. This leaves so much on the shoulders of Willam and Kate, Edward and Sophie in the future years

[TLLK]

[...]


Thank you iceflower for sharing the official statement regarding the Sussexes.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by PrincessofEurope

[...]

They are leaving a massive gap in the Royal family - an institution where the majority of the members are OAP's. This leaves so much on the shoulders of Willam and Kate, Edward and Sophie in the future years

I think the RF will manage. There is a gap but I think the RF would rather take on more work.. than to rely on people like Harry and Megahn...

[Duchess_Watcher]

I think they should replace Meghan & Harry with Eugenie/Edo and Beatrice/Jack. That would be perfect.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Denville

I think the RF will manage. There is a gap but I think the RF would rather take on more work.. than to rely on people like Harry and Megahn...

I don't think there is necessarily a gap as the Windsors are a quite big family and there is no shortage of people who could take over H&M's patronages.


I think there is a sense of disappointment that Harry specifically (more so than Meghan) gave up on his duty to his country and ran away to a profitable private life in California. Although most Brits probably don't care anyway, as not that many people in the UK actually care about the Royal Family or follow them. Other than the Queen and, to a lesser extent the PoW and the DoC, who have official "state roles" so to speak, my impression talking to younger Brits is that the most common attitude is one of indifference vis a vis the Royal Family.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Duchess_Watcher

I think they should replace Meghan & Harry with Eugenie/Edo and Beatrice/Jack. That would be perfect.

Harldy. Its highly unlikely that these princesses or their husband would want to take on a working royal role.. and in any case neither is overly popular....

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I don't think there is necessarily a gap as the Windsors are a quite big family and there is no shortage of people who could take over H&M's patronages.


I think there is a sense of disappointment that Harry specifically (more so than Meghan) gave up on his duty to his country and ran away to a profitable private life in California. Although most Brits probably don't care anyway, as not that many people in the UK actually care about the Royal Family or follow them. Other than the Queen and, to a lesser extent the PoW and the DoC, who have official "state roles" so to speak, my impression talking to younger Brits is that the most common attitude is one of indifference vis a vis the Royal Family.

I dont know if there's a sense of disappointment really.. Harry could have become very popular as a working prince.. He was liked and with a pretty wife who played by the rules, I think he would have had a decent popularity.. but Meghan clearly had no intention of learning how to play as a working princess and Harry was also clearly ambivalent.. and I think in a fairly short time the public just lost interest in them...I remember about a year ago when they were in the UK for the Commonwealth engagement.. I heard 2 guys talking about them and these 2 clearly had no interest in the RF and knew litlte about them.. They were just saying "So, he's going to give up his duties, is he ? Oh well. I wish I could give up my duties.." and just shrugging him off.

I dont know how much this was due to the papers being negative about Meghan.. but i think that goodwill towards Harry evaporated pretty quickly....
However I'm sure the queen and Charles feel a sense of disappointment that H could abandon his life of service for a life in California and making money... and they at their age probably do feel that to lose a young couple is a problem...

[Alisa]

The RF managed their patronages before the couple were given them and they will be just fine when they lose them.

They were miserable as royals being treated unfairly publicly by the press and according to them they weren't given the support they needed behind the scenes. No one deserves to be miserable so good for them that they've found happiness.

It's a win-win situation!

[Alisa]

Agreed. I think the Princesses are enjoying the best of both worlds. They can move independently, privately, make money, and still enjoy the spotlight due to their proximity to the Queen.