Queen Elizabeth has broken her silence on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bombshell announcement that they have decided to take a step back as senior royals. The senior monarch released a statement through her communications secretary, saying that the royal couple’s decision is a “complicated” one.
“Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage,” the brief statement read. “We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”
While there isn’t much information on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s recent decision aside from the announcement on the couple’s official Instagram page, reports from BBC and The Mirror claim that the royal duo did not consult the palace before making their decision—and further claimed that other members of the royal family are “disappointed.”
The couple said in their Instagram announcement that they will be stepping back as “senior members of the Royal Family and work 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. 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,” they wrote.
The couple also confirmed that they will be splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America for their son Archie.
“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,” the post continued.
No specific location or details have been released about Meghan and Harry’s new chapter but it sounds like they will be revealing their plans in upcoming announcements.
“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 couple concluded their post.