Harry and Meghan a week away from quitting as senior royals

PA

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are a week away from quitting as senior royals, when they will stop using their HRH styles and no longer be able to have Sussex Royal as their brand.

Sixth in line to the throne Harry and American former actress Meghan are walking away from the monarchy for a life of personal and financial freedom on March 31.

Harry and Meghan's engagement photocall
Harry and Meghan's engagement photocall

The couple will have to change their Instagram handle, currently @sussexroyal, and their sussexroyal.com website.

Harry and Meghan have also been laying the groundwork behind the scenes for a not-for-profit global organisation based in North America, but full details and the launch date have yet to be revealed.

A source said: “They’re busy working as they always have been.”

The Sussexes' Instagram account
The Sussexes' Instagram account

Much has changed across the world with the escalation of the coronavirus pandemic since the Sussexes carried out their final public royal engagement as senior royals on Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey a fortnight ago.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has placed the UK on a police-enforced lockdown with drastic new measures in the fight against the Covid-19 illness.

While Harry, Meghan and their 10-month-old son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor are thousands of miles away in Canada settling into their new life overseas, the duke’s grandparents the Queen, 93, and the 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh are staying with a reduced household at Windsor Castle for their safety.

Commonwealth Day 2020
Commonwealth Day 2020

Harry’s father the Prince of Wales and stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall are in the sanctuary of Birkhall in Scotland, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are said to be at their Anmer Hall mansion in Norfolk with their young children.

The Sussexes have been posting about the coronavirus outbreak on their Instagram account.

They have said they will use the platform to share resources and post “accurate information and facts from trusted experts” amid “uncertain times”, adding: “Now, more than ever, we need each other.”

View this post on Instagram

These are uncertain times. And now, more than ever, we need each other. We need each other for truth, for support, and to feel less alone during a time that can honestly feel quite scary. There are so many around the world who need support right now, who are working tirelessly to respond to this crisis behind the scenes, on the frontline, or at home. Our willingness, as a people, to step up in the face of what we are all experiencing with COVID-19 is awe-inspiring. This moment is as true a testament there is to the human spirit. We often speak of compassion. All of our lives are in some way affected by this, uniting each of us globally. How we approach each other and our communities with empathy and kindness is indisputably important right now. Over the coming weeks, this will be our guiding principle. We will be sharing information and resources to help all of us navigate the uncertainty: from posting accurate information and facts from trusted experts, to learning about measures we can take to keep ourselves and our families healthy, to working with organisations that can support our mental and emotional well-being. In addition, we will focus on the inspiring stories of how so many of you around the world are connecting in ways big and small to lift all of us up. We are all in this together, and as a global community we can support each other through this process – and build a digital neighbourhood that feels safe for every one of us. We look forward to sharing more over the days and weeks to come…

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Mar 18, 2020 at 8:17am PDT

In another post, they suggested followers could digitally train as counsellors if they were bored at home.

Harry and Meghan sparked the “Megxit” royal crisis with their bombshell announcement in January that they wanted to quit as senior royals, and step back into a dual role, supporting the Queen and earning their own money.

But the plan was unworkable and would have led to accusations they were cashing in on their royal status.

The Sussexes
The Sussexes

After the Queen held a crisis summit at Sandringham, the couple are dropping their HRH styles and public royal roles for a life mostly in North America.

The Queen and her senior officials decided Harry and Meghan must not use “Royal” as part of their brand, which the Sussexes said they would agree to despite arguing on their website that the monarchy has no jurisdiction over the use of the word overseas.

Former Suits star Meghan married into the royal family less than two years ago at a star-studded wedding at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Advertisement