Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not return to the British royal family as working royals, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace released Friday. The decision came after conversations between Harry and Queen Elizabeth and other members of the British royal family.
The full Buckingham Palace statement on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reads:
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.
Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service. The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.
The statement added that the conversations were part of a 12-month review — one year after Harry and his wife Meghan announced they were taking a step back from their royal duties.
The military, Commonwealth and charitable associations that will revert from Harry and Meghan to The Queen are: The Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, The Rugby Football Union, The Rugby Football League, The Royal National Theatre and The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Since last year when they first stepped away from royal duties, the pair have moved to the United States and have signed deals with Netflix and Spotify through their new company, Archewell, launching a new podcast and developing new streaming shows, films and documentaries. (The company’s name derives from the couple’s son, Archie, who was born in May 2019.)
The couple recently announced they are expecting their second child after experiencing a miscarriage last year.