After the news broke that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family, Buckingham Palace has responded with an official statement.
"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," the Palace said yesterday (8 January) on its website.
It comes after Harry and Meghan announced their intention to make a "transition" and "carve out a progressive new role" for themselves.
The statement they released read in full:
“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 couple's announcement comes the day after they attended Canada House in London on Tuesday afternoon (7 January), after having taken a break from royal appearances over Christmas and spending the holidays in Canada.
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