Her Royal Highness, The Queen has agreed to let Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit the royal family to ‘create a new life’, splitting their time between the UK and Canada during a ‘transitional period’ – though she has also admitted her sadness at losing them as ‘full-time working royals’.
Her Majesty also added that there will be a ‘transitional period’ where Harry and Meghan will split their time between the UK and Canada.
Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles were pictured leaving the unprecedented summit in separate cars after more than two hours of crunch talks with Her Majesty.
The Duke of Sussex faced Her Majesty, his brother and his father for the first time since quitting as a senior royal with Meghan ‘dialling in’ to support her husband from Canada.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace after today’s showdown, the Queen said: ‘Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.
‘My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
‘Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.
‘It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.
‘These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.’
Read the statement below: