Prince William Reportedly Breaks Silence on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Stepping Down as Senior Members of the Royal Family

Days after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s major, surprise announcement, Prince William has reportedly broken his silence on his brother and sister-in-law’s decision to step back as senior royals, as Harper’s Bazaar noted.

The publication reported that the Sunday Times has offered some insight into how William supposedly feels about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s transition away from their roles as senior royals. William reportedly told a friend, who later told the Sunday Times, that he felt “sad” about this new change in the Fab Four’s dynamic.

“I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that any more; we’re separate entities,” the Duke of Cambridge is reported to have said. “I’m sad about that. All we can do, and all I can do, is try and support them and hope that the time comes when we’re all singing from the same page. I want everyone to play on the same team.”

While William’s reported comments do not serve as an official statement on the matter, his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, has released an official comment on Markle and Harry’s news. Shortly after the couple announced their intention to become more independent in the near future, the Queen and Buckingham Palace released a brief, yet very interesting, statement.

“Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage,” the statement read. “We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that we will take time to work through.”

In light of these comments (both reported and official), the royals are set to have a meeting incredibly soon in order to further discuss this transition period for Markle and Harry. William, Harry, Prince Charles, and the Queen are reportedly set to meet at Sandringham estate on Monday in order to discuss next steps for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they head on this new path, per Harper’s Bazaar. Markle, who reportedly traveled back to Canada recently, is said to be joining in on the meeting via phone.

Of course, all of this comes days after Markle and Harry first made their announcement on Wednesday, Jan. 8. On Instagram, the couple expressed their intention to step back from royal life.

“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,” they announced. “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.”