Harry and Meghan officially start new life after stepping down as senior members of the royal family

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle said goodbye to their 11.3 million followers on Instagram on Monday night (30 March 2020) as the time has come for them to step down as senior members of the royal family.

It was reported earlier this year that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex want “financial independence” and are looking to split their time between the UK and North America in search of other ventures.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would prefer that in the immediate weeks and months, the focus remains on the global response to COVID-19,” a Sussex spokesperson said. “However, we recognize there are outstanding questions relating to their future beyond their household transition deadline.That future includes no longer using the name ‘Sussex Royal’ for their nonprofit organisation, website or Instagram account, as 31 March marks the end of their time as senior royals and the start of their new life.”

Prince Harry and Meghan step down as senior members of the royal family

“As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile,” the Duke and Duchess said on their Instagram account. “Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference – as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line – together we can lift each other up to realise the fullness of that promise.”

For them, everyone’s focus should be on the health and wellbeing of everyone across the globe and finding solutions for the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this [coronavirus] pandemic.

“As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute.

“While you may not see us here, the work continues.

“Thank you to this community – for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another.”

Here’s what we can expect to see from their transition

Harry and Meghan will no longer use the titles His and Her Royal Highness, and will no longer represent Queen Elizabeth II.This doesn’t change Harry’s place in the line of succession, and it doesn’t mean the couple will no longer move in royal circles.

The Prince of Wales agreed to continue to support them financially through his private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, though not as far as keeping their office going at Buckingham Palace.

Their new home

According to CNN, they were allowed to keep their home on the Windsor estate in England – if they repaid the public funds used to renovate – but the couple had made clear they intended to spend more time in North America anyway.

Initially, that appeared to mean Canada, where they had taken a house on Vancouver Island. But President Donald Trump tweeted this week that the family had left for the US and that “the US will not pay for their security protection.” A spokesperson for the Sussexes responded immediately with a statement saying they had no plans to ask the US government for security resources and that privately funded security arrangements have been made.

Their future nonprofit organisation

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend the next few months focusing on their family and continuing to do what they can, safely and privately, to support and work with their pre-existing charitable commitments while developing their future nonprofit organisation,” the couple’s team said further.