Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been stripped of all their remaining honorary roles after announcing today they would not be returning to royal duties.
The Queen said she was ‘saddened by their decision’ but firm that the Sussexes’ new life in America was incompatible with the ‘life of public service’ expected of senior royals.
In a rare statement Her Majesty confirmed she was revoking their slate of military roles and patronages, which would instead be redistributed to ‘working members of the royal family’.
Moments later Harry and Meghan shot back with their own statement insisting: ‘We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.’
Today’s sudden decision to permanently quit royal life caught everyone off-guard as it comes more than a month before a review of their ‘Megxit’ arrangement was scheduled for the end of March.
It closes out a turbulent week for the Royal Family that saw the Sussexes announce a bombshell TV interview with Oprah Winfrey in which Meghan is expected to pour over the details of her life in the Firm.
Only a few days earlier they used a black-and-white photograph of the couple lying on the grass to reveal Meghan was pregnant.
And with Prince Philip now preparing to spend his fourth night in hospital, experts say the Queen has sought to assert her authority.
Meghan, Harry and the Queen at an awards ceremony at Buckingham Palace on June 26, 2018
Buckingham Palace (left) and a spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) both released statements today
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend Trooping the Colour outside Buckingham Palace in London in June 2018
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released this picture on Sunday as they revealed Meghan is pregnant with their second child
The Duke of Edinburgh (left) and the Duke of Sussex (right) laugh together following the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Prince Philip is currently in hospital in London receiving treatment
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement issued at 12.01pm today: ‘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.’
A statement was issued about three minutes later at 12.04pm by a spokesman for Harry and Meghan, sent to their trusted media partners such as royal biographer Omid Scobie.
It said: ‘As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.’
Shortly after the announcement, the Rugby Football Union confirmed that Harry would be stepping down from his role as a patron.
A spokesman said: ‘We would like to thank Prince Harry for his time and commitment to the RFU both in his position as Patron and Vice Patron. The RFU has greatly valued his contribution to promoting and supporting the game.’
The Rugby Football League, of which Harry was also a patron, tweeted: ‘The Rugby Football League thanks The Duke of Sussex for his time, care and commitment in supporting Rugby League at all levels in recent years – from the children’s game to the Challenge Cup, the England teams and RLWC2021.’
And the National Theatre, of which the Duchess of Sussex was a patron, tweeted: ‘The National Theatre is very grateful for the support offered by the Duchess of Sussex throughout the course of her patronage.
‘The Duchess championed our work with communities and young people across the UK, and our mission to make theatre accessible to all.
‘As Buckingham Palace have stated, the process of appointing a new patron is ongoing and will be announced in due course.’
The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust has thanked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their support following the news the couple are returning their patronages to the Queen.
The trust said in a statement: ‘The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust exists to support young people around the world who are delivering practical help to those who need it most.
‘We have been very lucky to have had the keen support and encouragement of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in our formative years.
‘They have enabled us to make fast progress and have helped us to take the organisation to readiness for its next phase. We are glad that they remain in our circle of supporters.
‘Our focus, as always, is on the young people we work alongside. We will be pressing on with vigour to help them reach even more people with the essential services they provide.’
Meanwhile the Duke of Edinburgh was today spending a fourth day in hospital for ‘observation and rest’ after being admitted earlier this week after feeling unwell.
Philip was described as being in ‘good spirits’ after he walked unaided into King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday evening, on the advice of his doctor.
Buckingham Palace has said admitting the 99-year-old royal was a ‘precautionary measure’. There were no reports of visitors arriving at the private hospital, but the duke is known for his ‘no fuss’ attitude.
Philip, who turns 100 on June 10, is in hospital for an undisclosed reason, although it is not coronavirus-related.
It is understood a doctor was called after Philip felt unwell for a short period and he was taken to hospital by car, where he walked in unaided as a non-emergency admission.
Philip has been spending the latest lockdown with the Queen at Windsor Castle and in January they both received Covid vaccinations. It is understood the decision to admit him was taken with an ‘abundance’ of caution.
He last had a spell in hospital when he spent four nights at the King Edward VII in December 2019, where he was treated for a ‘pre-existing condition’ and discharged on Christmas Eve.
On Monday, it was confirmed this week that Harry and Meghan had agreed to a ‘wide-ranging’ interview with Oprah Winfrey. It is believed the programme could be recorded at some point this week.
The statement issued by Buckingham Palace shortly after midday today, announcing the news about Harry and Meghan
The Queen on Remembrance Sunday last November (left) and meeting key workers at Windsor Castle last December (right)
Oprah Winfrey, who is interviewing the couple, is pictured at Harry and Meghan’s Windsor Castle wedding on May 19, 2018
Prince Harry and Meghan speak from the garden of their £11million home in Montecito, California, last September
The Sussexes did not tell the Queen in advance that they were planning the interview – but are keen to avoid upsetting the monarch during their chat, it has been claimed.
A royal source said that because the couple were no longer working royals, any decisions taken with regard to ‘media commitments are matters for them’.
The source added that the Sussexes were ‘under no obligation’ to inform the Royal Household of the interview, which was announced by CBS in a press release.
Meghan and Oprah are friends and near neighbours in California, with Oprah attending the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in 2018 and plugging a range of vegan lattes that Meghan has helped finance.
One source described the interview as ‘one of the most inevitable and, sadly, predictable consequences’ of the ‘Megxit’ saga.
Harry will also feature in the 90-minute show. It will air next month on CBS and the couple will discuss their move to the US.
It will be the first time the pair have spoken publicly about their bombshell decision to leave Britain and step down from their working roles in the Royal Family.