Honorary appointments and patronages will be redistributed among the remaining royal work.
London:
Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan have given up their royal duties for good, Buckingham Palace said on Friday, just over a year after shaking the British monarchy by announcing plans to “retire” from their roles.
Queen Elizabeth II ordered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are officially known, to relinquish their honorary titles and patronage following confirmation that they would not return as working kings.
The couple moved to the United States last year in a move dubbed “Megxit” by the British press, and have since embarked on several commercial projects there, including profitable links to streaming platforms Netflix and Spotify.
At an emergency summit in January 2020 with the Queen, Harry’s father, Prince Charles and Prince William’s brother, Harry agreed to stop using their “Royal Highness” and “Sussex Royal” titles.
But senior family members pledged to review the situation a year ago – with the move now final, just days after Harry and Meghan announced Valentine’s Day that they were expecting their second child.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty the Queen that they will not return as working members of the Royal Family,” Buckingham Palace announced.
“The queen wrote by confirming that, moving away from the activity of the royal family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties arising from a life of public service.”
He mentioned that their honorary appointments and patronages will be redistributed among the royal working remnants.
– “The service is universal” –
However, it looks like the pair will retain their official titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Harry remains sixth in line to the throne, with no change in line of succession.
“While everyone is saddened by their decision, the duke and duchess remain well-loved family members,” the palace statement added.
The decision means that 36-year-old Harry, who served as a soldier in Afghanistan and is passionate about the welfare of veterans, must give up several honorary military titles related to the Royal Marines, the Air Force and the Navy.
Earlier this month, he formally filed a defamation suit against the publisher of The Mail On Sunday and MailOnline, in connection with reports he has deceived soldiers since retiring from royal life.
A spokesman for the couple said on Friday that they had shown that “they remain dedicated to their debt and services to the UK and around the world”.
The statement said they offered their continued support to the organizations they represented “regardless of their official role”.
“We can all live a life of service. Service is universal,” he added.
– The “intimate” interview –
The couple’s move to the United States followed reports that Meghan was deeply dissatisfied with the life inside the centuries-old royal institution and the couple’s growing complaints about media intrusion.
But his sudden nature shook the monarchy and would have caused acrimony with Harry’s brother, William, who is second in line to the throne.
Harry and Meghan have launched several lawsuits against the British press claiming the invasion of privacy, a trial ending this month with a victory against Associated Newspapers.
The couple is ready to give an “intimate” interview about their life with the host of the American chat show Oprah Winfrey.
– “We championed our work” –
In addition to his military titles, Harry has held appointments to the Commonwealth and other patronages, including the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Rugby Football League.
“RFU greatly appreciated its contribution to the promotion and support of the game,” the organization said on Twitter.
Harry will remain the owner of the Invictus Games Foundation, the organization for military veterans with disabilities confirmed.
Meanwhile, Meghan also received honorary roles after marrying Harry at a fairytale ceremony at Windsor Castle in May 2018, including becoming the patron of the National Theater.
The acclaimed theater group also thanked him for his support during his shorter-than-expected term and said he had begun the process of appointing a new boss.
Jennie Bond, a former royal correspondent for the BBC, said the loss of headlines would be a blow to the couple.
“This will obviously upset Harry, especially the military (losses),” she told the broadcaster.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and is published in a syndicated stream.)