The Queen releases statement in light of Harry and Meghan's bombshell

Publish Date
Thursday, 9 January 2020, 12:22PM
Getty Images

Getty Images

The Queen has released a statement in the wake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell news, with the couple having chosen to step down as 'senior members' of the royal family.

The official statement says "Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through."

Many members of the British media have also had their say on the matter, including opinionated personality Piers Morgan. 

The BBC's royal correspondent is reporting the Queen and others in the Royal family were not consulted before her grandson and his wife revealed the move this morning.The BBC also says it understands senior royals were 'hurt' by the announcement.

The news comes after an official statement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was released earlier this morning via their Instagram account.

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“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. 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. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on

The couple recently returned home from their extended break, having celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with their eight-month-old son Archie out of the public eye.

 

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