Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced they are going to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the announcement on their Instagram page, saying they wanted to become “financially independent.”
“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,” the couple said on Instagram.
“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. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”
The couple says they will now balance their time between the UK and North America. They say the transition will allow them to raise their son Archie with an “appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing out family with the space to focus on the next chapter.”
As a part of their plans, the couple will also be launching a new charity.
More information on the couple’s decision was available on the Sussex Royal website, which crashed shortly after Markle and Prince Harry made the announcement.
Harry is currently sixth in line for the throne behind his father, brother and his brother’s three children. The couple spent their first holiday together with their 8-year-old son in Canada, which is part of the commonwealth.
