Queen Reveals Megxit Strategy After Royal Summit With Harry And Meghan
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back as senior members of the British Royal family could have sparked fierce punishment from his grandmother, the Queen of England, but it now looks like her royal highness is ready to support her beloved grandson. While Buckingham Palace released an initial (and very short) response when the Megxit news broke, the queen has now sent out another (much longer) response after meeting with members of the royal family during a summit called to address the controversial situation.
"Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family," said the message from Queen Elizabeth on Jan. 13, 2020. "My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family." The queen reportedly spent about two hours at her Sandringham estate with Prince Harry, Prince Charles (Harry's father) and Prince William (Harry's brother.) Charles and William are directly in line to the throne; Harry is sixth in line to the throne. Meghan was reportedly also part of the conversation, calling in from Canada where she's staying with her son, Archie.
Though the queen did not indicate any ill will toward the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, her message did assert that leaving the royal life won't be a simple move. However, it will be done quickly — by order of the queen.
Queen Elizabeth wants 'final decisions' on Megxit ASAP
While it may seem like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rushed their decision to quit their roles as professional royals, the plan was reportedly in the works for months before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were suddenly forced to announce their plans without the queen's permission. However, her majesty seems to be attempting to regain control over the situation by setting a new timeline to resolve the debacle that's become known the world over as Megxit.
"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," the queen said in her statement. She added, "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."
The tight schedule isn't the only puzzle piece the queen discussed in her statement. She also addressed the matter of Harry and Meghan's access to royal funds and even revealed where the pair would live with little Archie.
Harry and Meghan are giving up their royal riches
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released their groundbreaking statement about stepping back from their royal duties, the couple also addressed the financial support it receives from the crown — or rather, the money that the Duke and Duchess will no longer receive when they ditch "the firm."
The couple said it will "work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen." The queen backed up that plan via her own statement: "Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives." That sort of sounds like something rich people would say, doesn't it?
Harry and Meghan already have a massive combined fortune in the tens of millions with the potential to earn millions more on endorsements, book deals, speaking tours, cinema. Markle may have already inked a deal with Disney. Not to mention, they've got the queen of all media, Oprah Winfrey, in their corner. Something tells us they'll be all right.
The queen says Harry and Meghan are moving to Canada
When royal renegades Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they were changing their royal status, they also explained that they "plan to balance [their] time between the United Kingdom and North America." According to Queen Elizabeth, they're moving to Canada.
Harry and Meghan recently spent the holidays in the Commonwealth country along with their son, Archie. Following their visit, their first engagement in the U.K. was to Canada House in London, where they thanked representatives "for the warm hospitality during their recent stay in Canada," per their Instagram account. "The Duke and Duchess have a strong connection to Canada. It's a country The Duke of Sussex has visited many times over the years and it was also home to The Duchess for seven years before she became a member of The Royal Family."
Markle lived in Canada while filming Suits. Over the holidays, the duke and duchess spent time in British Columbia, which is on the West Coast, relatively close to Markle's mother in California. Queen Elizabeth's statement said "there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK." Does that mean Archie will end up with a slight Canadian accent? That would be cute, eh?