Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have agreed with Queen Elizabeth II that they will not be returning as working members of British royal family, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
The decision means that honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be revoked and redistributed among working members of the royal family, the palace said in a statement.
However, the couple said they will continue to be committed to their duties in Britain and elsewhere, insisting that “service is universal.”
The development comes just few days after their spokesman announced that they are expecting their second child.
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It would be recalled that over a year, the couple stunned British public when they announced that they would “step back” from their royal duties, saying they planned to divide their time between the UK and North America.
It was agreed then that the situation would be reviewed after a year.
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Birmingham Palace has now stated;
While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.
Following a conversation with Harry, Queen Elizabeth II has written confirming 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 honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty.
The statement added that they would be redistributed among working members of the royal family.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said they remained “committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role”.
“We can all live a life of service,” the spokesperson added. “Service is universal.”
Since the couple parted ways with the royal family and moved to the United States, they have signed multi-million dollar deals with Spotify and Netflix.
They will also be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a 90-minute primetime special set to air on CBS on March 7.
The move will no doubt have further ruffled feathers in a family that prefers not to speak publicly about personal affairs.
