Sussex Royal: What next for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to embark on a “new chapter” in their lives as they step back from their roles as senior members of the Royal Family.

While Buckingham Palace has said discussions with the couple will “take time to work through”, Meghan and Harry have already set out some of their key ambitions.

They will split their time between the UK and North America and will “work to become financially independent" as part of their major life revamp.

What will this brave new world look like for the bold young couple? And how will they finance their “progressive” new path?

Here’s everything we know so far.

What prompted their decision?

Meghan and Harry had a tough year in 2019
Getty Images

The couple’s bombshell announcement follows weeks of speculation about their future after they took an extended break from royal duties over the festive period.

Last year was a turbulent one for them both. The couple were dogged by family rifts and accusations of hypocrisy for their use of private jets while urging people to act on climate change.

They also launched impassioned attacks on the tabloid press, with Harry accusing it of driving a “ruthless campaign” against his wife.

Announcing legal action against the Mail on Sunday at the end of the year, Harry said: "I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces."

Following their decision to renounce their current roles, BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said there were "great chunks" of the job that the couple "simply could not stand", while Harry "hated the cameras and was visibly bored by the ceremonial".

How has the Royal Family reacted?

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
AP

The mood at Buckingham Palace is understood to be one of disappointment while senior royals are said to have been “hurt” by the announcement.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not consult the Queen or the Prince of Wales about the contents of their “personal message” nor did they reveal their plans to release the statement on Wednesday evening.

It is understood Harry and Meghan had just begun talks with the Queen and Charles about their future roles when they made their decision to go public.

Buckingham Palace warned the couple their decision to “step back” from the royal family will be “complicated”.

A Palace spokeswoman said: “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.

“We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”

How will they support themselves once they become ‘financially independent’?

Harry with his grandmother the Queen
Getty Images

The Sussexes financial aims have been outlined on their official Sussex Royal website which states the couple "value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing.

“For this reason they have made the choice to become members of the royal family with financial independence.”

The website confirms the couple will no longer receive funding from the taxpayer through the Sovereign Grant for their official office expenses - which it claims accounts for five per cent of their office costs.

However, they will keep the income from Prince Charles’s private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall.

Harry and Meghan watch on as Prince Charles mingles at Sandringham during Christmas 2017
AP

Yet the Sussexes already enjoy significant private and inherited wealth.

Prince Harry’s personal fortune has been estimated at £30 million, The Telegraph reports.

The Queen Mother is thought to have left about £70 million in trust for her great-grandchildren, with Harry and brother William sharing about £14 million from her estate.

The brothers also inherited 75 per cent of the £21 million estate left by their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, according to the paper. She also left her jewellery to her sons.

Meanwhile Meghan is independently wealthy from her career as an actress prior to her marriage to Harry.

It has been reported that she was paid £333,000 per season for the hit US TV drama Suits in which she starred for seven series. She has also earned six-figure sums for feature films and designed fashion collections.

What about their charity work?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Tour of Africa 2019 - In pictures

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The couple said they’re “committed to continuing their charitable endeavours as well as establishing new ones” in a statement on their website.

They are now preparing to launch their new Sussex Royal foundation, which was set up after they split from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s charity in June last year.

Their new venture is expected to focus on global outreach, with links to the US and Africa, as well as female empowerment.

The duke and duchess have roles and patronages at more than 20 charities, including Rhino Conservation Botswana and the Invictus Games for wounded servicemen and women.

Will they lose their royal titles?

So far there has been no mention of them losing their HRH titles nor of Harry being removed from the line of succession.

However, this could still happen depending on how far they go down the commercial route.

Sarah, Duchess of York, lost hers following her divorce from Prince Andrew.

Any future roles they take on will need to be carefully scrutinised to ensure they are not seen as profiteering from their positions as members of the royal family.

Where will they live?

Prince Harry cuddles baby Archie during the family's Christmas break (PA)
SussexRoyal

They plan to split their time between the UK and North America, with rumours suggesting they’re considering a move to Canada.

The pair took a six-week break from royal duties over the Christmas period, including a lengthy stint in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

While acting Suits, Meghan fell in love with the capital Toronto which became her “second home” as well as that of a number of her closest friends.

Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland lives in California, so it is likely they will spend time there, too.

What will happen to Frogmore Cottage?

Frogmore Cottage, which is owned by the Crown Estate, was a gift from Harry's grandmother the Queen

They will continue to base themselves at their Windsor home, which was recently renovated with £2.4m of taxpayers’ money, while in the UK.

Their new website states that they moved to the cottage for “various reasons”, and mentioned the fact that their previous residence of Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace “could not accommodate their growing family”.

Crucially, the website points out that Frogmore Cottage is owned by the Queen and it will therefore be up to her to decide whether they can keep it.

The website says: “Frogmore Cottage will continue to be the property of Her Majesty the Queen.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to use Frogmore Cottage – with the permission of Her Majesty The Queen – as their official residence as they continue to support the monarchy, and so that their family will always have a place to call home in the United Kingdom.”

What about security?

Getty Images

A senior source told the Standard: “Royal Protection by armed Metropolitan Police officers is mandated by the Home Office.

“Until now their official roles mean the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their son are classified as internationally protected people.

"That stays in place for now. But as the circumstances have changed there will now be a full review.

“If the Sussexes intend to live abroad, and not just carry out international official visits abroad, it will involve far more resources.

"This will have to be reviewed and signed off by the Commissioner. There is no guarantee it will be granted.”

The couple have sought to answer queries about their security costs on their new sussexroyal.com website.

Under the question “Does their future financial autonomy extend to covering the costs of security?”, the website states: “The provision of armed security by The Metropolitan Police is mandated by the Home Office.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are classified as internationally protected people which mandates this level of security.”

The undisclosed cost of guarding the royal family as a whole is estimated to be more than £100 million a year.

Will they shut out the press entirely?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to restrict the national press’s access to their official engagements, according to their new website.

In its media section, Sussexroyal.com criticised Britain’s royal correspondents and said it would no longer participate in the “royal rota” system which has been used by Buckingham Palace for decades.

The royal rota gives accredited correspondents on UK national newspapers access to royal engagements on a pooled sharing basis to ensure maximum press coverage with minimum disruption to the engagement itself.

It cites the UK media outlets as The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph, The Times and The Sun.

The new approach, which will begin in the spring, will deny the automatic access to royal correspondents, and focus instead on social media, “credible outlets”, specialist media, grassroots media organisations and young, up-and-coming journalists.

“Britain’s royal correspondents are regarded internationally as credible sources of both the work of members of The Royal Family as well as of their private lives,” the website states.

“This misconception propels coverage that is often carried by other outlets around the world, amplifying frequent misreporting.

“Regrettably, stories that may have been filed accurately by royal correspondents are also often edited or rewritten by media editorial teams to present false impressions.”

It adds: “Their sincere hope is that this change in media policy will enhance access and give the duke and duchess the ability to share information more freely with members of the public.”

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