The honorary appointments and patronages were to be redistributed among the remaining working royals.
London:
Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan have permanently resigned their royal duties, Buckingham Palace said Friday, just over a year after they turned the British monarchy upside down by announcing plans to “step back”.
Queen Elizabeth II ordered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are formally called, to give up their titles of honor and patronages after confirming that they would not return as working royals.
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 ventures, including lucrative links with the streaming platforms Netflix and Spotify.
During an emergency stop in January 2020 with the Queen, Harry’s father Prince Charles and brother Prince William, Harry agreed that they would stop using their “Royal Highness” titles and the “Sussex Royal” brand.
But the older relatives promised to review the situation a year later – with the move now finalized, days after Harry and Meghan announced on Valentine’s Day that they are expecting their second child.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty the Queen that they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family,” Buckingham Palace announced.
“The Queen has confirmed in writing that by distancing herself from the work of the Royal Family, it is not possible to carry on with the responsibilities and duties associated with a life in public service.”
It noted that their honorary appointments and patronages would be redistributed among the remaining working royals.
– ‘Service is universal’
However, it appears that the couple will keep their official titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Harry remains sixth in line to the throne, with no change in the line of succession.
“While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family,” the palace statement added.
The decision means that Harry, 36, who served as a soldier in Afghanistan and is passionate about the welfare of veterans, will have to give up several military honorary titles related to the Royal Marines, the Air Force and the Navy.
Earlier this month, he formally settled a libel suit against the publisher of The Mail On Sunday and the MailOnline website over reports that he had repelled soldiers since retiring from royal life.
A spokesman for the couple said on Friday that they had shown that they “remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and the rest of the world”.
The statement said they had offered their continued support to the organizations they represented “regardless of official role”.
“We can all live lives of service. Service is universal,” he added.
– ‘Intimate’ interview –
The couple’s move to the US followed reports that Meghan was deeply unhappy with life within the age-old royal institute and growing complaints from the couple about media intrusion.
But its sudden nature shocked the monarchy and reportedly caused bitterness in Harry’s brother William, who is second in line to the throne.
Harry and Meghan have filed several legal cases against UK news outlets for invasion of privacy, with one lawsuit this month ending with a win against Associated Newspapers.
The couple is ready to give an “intimate” interview about their life with the American presenter Oprah Winfrey.
– ‘Defended our work’ –
Aside from his military titles, Harry has also held Commonwealth appointments and some other patronage, including the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Rugby Football League.
“The RFU has greatly appreciated his contribution to promoting and supporting the game,” the organization said on Twitter.
Harry remains a patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, the organization for disabled military veterans confirmed.
Meanwhile, Meghan was also given roles of honor after she married Harry in May 2018 at a fairytale ceremony at Windsor Castle, including becoming a patron of the National Theater.
The acclaimed theater group also thanked her for the support she provided during her shorter-than-expected tenure and said the process of appointing a new patron had begun.
Jennie Bond, a former royal correspondent for the BBC, said the loss of titles would be a blow to the pair.
“This will of course upset Harry, especially the military (losing),” she told the broadcaster.
(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by NDTV contributors and was published from a syndicated feed.)