On January 8, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle made an announcement that they were stepping back as royals in order to become financially independent, but would continue to serve the Queen. Now according to a portal, Prince Harry has claimed that he and his wife Meghan Markle had no choice but to stand down from their royal family duties. Reportedly, addressing supporters of his Sentebale charity at a dinner in London on Sunday night, he insisted that the couple was not "not walking away" but felt "great sadness" over the new arrangement.
"Before I begin, I must say I can only imagine what you may have heard and perhaps read over the past few weeks. So I want you to hear the truth from me as much as I can share, not as a prince or a duke but as Harry, the same person who many of you have watched grow up over the last 35 years but now with a clearer perspective," he said at the event.
Claiming that he had no choice but to leave the royal family, Prince Harry said, "The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges and I know I haven''t always got it right, but as far as this goes there really was no other option."
His comments came in the aftermath of reports that Harry's and Meghan's deal with the Queen over their future commercial projects will be subject to an annual review. Apparently, their hopes for a "half-in, half-out" role in the monarchy were quashed on Saturday night after the Buckingham Palace said they "can no longer formally represent" the Queen after stepping back from public duties. What's more? An agreement was reached, wherein Harry and Meghan can quit front-line duties but cannot use their HRH titles, must pay back 2.4 million pounds of taxpayer cash and no longer receive public funds, as reported by the portal.
Just like Princess Diana was not stripped off her HRH title after her divorce, the couple has been allowed to use their Sussex Royal brand.
(Source: Metro UK/IANS)
