Over a month after they initially announced their intention to step back from official royal duties, new details have been revealed about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s upcoming royal exit. According to PEOPLE, Harry and Markle’s exit will be put into effect come April 1. The couple’s office in Buckingham Palace will close on March 31 and they will subsequently be represented by their UK charity foundation team.
“The Duke and Duchess will be spending their time in both the United Kingdom and North America,” a spokesperson for the couple stated. “In addition to continuing to work closely with their existing patronages as they build a plan for engagements in the U.K. and the Commonwealth throughout the year, The Duke and Duchess have also been undertaking meetings as part of their ongoing work to establish a new non-profit organization. The details of this new organization will be shared later in the year.”
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“In general, the themes of their cause related work will remain unchanged, which includes the Commonwealth, community, youth empowerment and mental health, collectively,” their statement continued. The spokesperson went on to note that there will be a review of this new arrangement after 12 months, at which point the royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will revisit the terms of their agreement.
“As there is no precedent for this new model of working and eventual financial independence, the Royal Family and The Sussexes have agreed to an initial 12-month review to ensure the arrangement works for all parties,” they continued.
This update comes a day after it was reported that Queen Elizabeth had “banned” Markle and Harry from using “royal” in their branding. The couple’s spokesperson did mention that there are still discussions underway about their use of the “royal” term and that a decision will be announced at a later date alongside the launch of their charitable foundation.
“As The Duke and Duchess are stepping back as senior Members of the Royal Family, and will work towards financial independence, use of the word ‘Royal’, in this context, needed to be reviewed. Discussions are still ongoing, however, a change will be announced alongside the launch of their new non-profit organization,” the spokesperson added.
Markle and Harry first announced their intention to step back from their lives as senior royals in early January. The couple subsequently engaged in discussions with the Queen, Prince Charles, and Prince William about this new path and later revealed that these changes would go into effect in the spring.
Now, royal watchers finally know the date of the duke and duchess’ royal exit, as their new journey will begin on April 1.
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