Bye-bye, Buckingham - Harry, Meghan ‘step back’ as British royals

LONDON (AP):

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, say they plan “to step back” as senior members of Britain’s royal family, a stunning announcement that underscores the couple’s wish to forge a new path for royals in the modern world.

A statement issued on Wednesday evening by Buckingham Palace said the royal couple intends to become financially independent, shunning funds from the Sovereign Grant, to underpin their work on charities and intend to “balance” their time between the UK and North America.

The 35-year-old Harry is Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson and is sixth in line to the British throne. With his ginger hair and beard, Harry is one of the royal family’s most recognisable and popular members and has spent his entire life in the glare of the public eye.

Before marrying Harry in a royal wedding watched around the world in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex was an American actress known as Meghan Markle and a star of the TV show Suits. The royal couple has a baby son Archie, who was born in May 2019.

“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,” the couple said in a statement. “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.”