The Duke And Duchess of Sussex To Step Down As Senior Royals

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are stepping back from their current position as senior royals and intend to become financially independent from the royal family.

Meghan and Harry confirmed that they intend to "step back as 'senior' members of the royal family", in an attempt to carve out a "progressive new role within this institution", in a post shared to the official Sussex Royal Instagram account.

As part of the transition, they plan to divide their time between the UK and North America - a move that was widely speculated about following their extended Christmas break spent in Canada. They explained that the geographical balance will enable them to raise their son, Archie, "with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born", while also providing their family with "the space to focus on the next chapter". This includes the launch of a new charitable entity.

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They did not confirm where in North America they plan to spend their time. The Duchess of Sussex is originally from California, but the family chose to spend their Christmas break on the picturesque Vancouver Island in Canada and are known to be fans of the country. Meghan spent several years living in Toronto while filming Suits.

They confirmed that they will continue to "fully support Her Majesty the Queen," and thanked their followers for their encouragement and support, explaining that they made the decision "after many months of reflection and internal discussions".

The couple have been vocal about their struggles with the media spotlight and in particular the treatment of Meghan by the tabloid press. They've taken legal action against specific publications over various stories - in particular some concerning Meghan's relationship with her father.

Harry has previously branded the “relentless propaganda” about his wife as bullying and described the human cost of such treatment.

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"There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face – as so many of you can relate to – I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been,” he wrote. “Because in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the globe. One day’s coverage is no longer tomorrow’s chip-paper.”

He continued: “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives. Put simply, it is bullying, which scares and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t and can’t believe in a world where there is no accountability for this.”

Read the full message detailing the family's new transition below:

"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.”

This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR UK.

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