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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Photo by Mark Jones distributed under a CC BY 2.0 license
Culture > News

What to Know About Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s ‘Step Back’ from the Royal Family

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Larry Stansbury
Aubree Brabham

This week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their decision to “take a step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal family.” While the pair is not completely resigning from royal life, they do plan to split time of residence between the U.K. and North America. Still, it comes as a shock to the entire world.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“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. 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. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on

 

 

The couple’s already unconventional marriage now feels even more radical. But without a doubt, many sympathize with Harry and Meghan’s decision to make their bittersweet exit, especially considering some of the hurdles the two have encountered since their union, namely Britsh racism and digging into Meghan’s personal life. In early October 2019, Prince Harry released an official statement after Meghan became a target of several British tabloids leading up to the birth of their child. He wrote, “Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences.” Because of incidents like this, it’s not surprising that Harry and Meghan want to detach. 
 
Considering the outdated British monarchy system, it’s important to note that Harry and Meghan have been making strides to be independent since their partnership began. Meghan is not only a commoner, but she is an actress and a woman of color. And while everyone is in their feels about this unprecedented move, I honestly couldn’t be prouder. This is the motivation I need for the new year, especially since this is most public example that your mental health and wellbeing comes first, even if you’re a royal. 

I’m not the only one that is impressed with the couple’s decision to balance their time between the two regions. Twitter had their own hot (and hilarious) takes on the situation.

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Larry is the feature writer at Her Campus covering entertainment, lifestyle, and relationship news. He is a huge fan of Ariana Grande. Also, he is always providing helpful tips on how to be your best self. When he’s not writing at HC, he is either working out at the gym, exploring coffee shops, or touring the city for the best pizza spots. 
Aubree Brabham

Hampton U '19

Aubree Brabham is 2019 graduate of Hampton University, from New Haven, Connecticut. In my spare time, I likes to catch up on cat videos on Instagram, binge Sex and the City and frivolously shop online ! My highest aspiration is to be as legendary as Anna Wintour and grace the streets of New York City like, you guessed it, my idol Miss Carrie Bradshaw.