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LONDON—Queen Elizabeth II announced Monday that she and her royal family were “entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life” and that she had agreed to a “period of transition” during which the couple would split their time between Canada and Britain.
In a statement, the queen wrote, “Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
The queen acknowledged that Harry and Meghan “made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives,” but she did not describe their new duties or ventures.
She cautioned there is more work to be done on the “complex matters for the family to decide” and said she expects final decisions to be made in the coming days.
The announcement from the 93-year-old sovereign and leader of the House of Windsor came after a meeting at her royal estate in Sandringham, attended by princes Harry, William and Charles. It is believed that Meghan, who is in Canada, participated remotely.
The queen’s attempt to settle matters comes after a remarkable few days.
The palace was caught off guard when Prince Harry and Meghan announced on Wednesday, via Instagram, that they would be “stepping back” from their roles as senior royals and wanted to split their time between Britain and North America.
The queen’s statement Monday was the first confirmation that Canada was the place they had in mind.
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Earlier Monday, William and Harry issued a separate and unusual joint statement, batting down “offensive and potentially harmful” reports that bullying by William had pushed Harry and Meghan away.
The palace didn’t offer more detail on what was discussed at Monday’s family summit. Decisions about Harry and Meghan’s new roles could have implications for the future shape of the British monarchy and for royals down the line of succession.
Here are some of the issues that need sorting out.
1. A Britain-Canada timeshare
Canada as a part-time home makes sense. Canada is a Commonwealth nation. And Meghan lived in Toronto for many years while filming the TV show “Suits.”
But where, exactly, in Canada? Toronto? Vancouver? Yellowknife, where they really wouldn’t have to worry about tabloid intrusion?
How will a move impact the work they do for royal and United Kingdom-based charities, which they say they want to continue? Would they return for big royal events, like “Trooping the Colour” to mark the monarch’s birthday? Where will their son, Archie, go to school when that day arrives? Harry went to very traditional, very posh boarding schools — first Ludgrove and then Eton College — before attending the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.
And where will they live in Britain? The Sussexes say they would like to continue to base themselves at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. Some critics have suggested that if they do stay there, they should pay back the $3 million recently spent on renovations.
2. Titles and the royal brand
Harry is officially “His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex” and Meghan is “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.”
Will they keep some or any of those titles? The queen’s statement notably didn’t include any.
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When Harry’s parents divorced, Princess Diana was stripped of her “HRH” title. Harry and Meghan have said that they would like to continue to carry out certain duties for the queen, “as called upon.” But might giving up their responsibilities as full-time working royals mean they have to lose the HRH of their titles, too?
They’d likely put up more of fight to keep the Sussex bit, a courtesy title given by the queen. They use the “SussexRoyal” brand on their Instagram account and new website. They are also seeking to register the SussexRoyal brand as a global trademark on a wide range of items, the Guardian reported.
Of course, the British monarchy is its own brand. And the queen, who serves as its chief protector, will want to make sure Harry and Meghan are careful about avoiding commercial entanglements and other situations that could undermine the Crown.
3. Income and taxes
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The couple say they want to be “financially independent” and that they “value the ability to earn a professional income.” They say they will no longer accept money from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, which has covered 5 per cent of their expenses.
But what about the more than $6 million they receive annually from Harry’s father, Prince Charles, through his inherited Duchy of Cornwall estate? That money has covered 95 per cent of their expenses. Will Charles continue to support them to such a large degree? Do they want him to?
There may also be discussion about what kinds of jobs everyone agrees would be appropriate. Harry’s cousin Princess Beatrice works in finance, and Princess Eugenie is an art gallery director. Meghan, a former actress, has reportedly agreed to do voice-over work for Disney in exchange for a donation to the charity Elephants Without Borders. Would she take in a salary for that sort of work in future? The royal family’s determination to remain apolitical may play a strong role in determining what work Harry and Meghan undertake.
Courtiers will have likely have outlined the potentially complicated tax situation the Sussexes could face. If they live for an extended period of time in both Britain and Canada, they may have to pay tax on their global earnings in both countries.
The queen is not required to pay income taxes, but she voluntarily contributes a sum equivalent to what a U.K. tax on her private income would be. Prince Charles has a similar arrangement.
4. Security
The question of who foots the bill for their security detail may also come up. On their website, Harry and Meghan note that the provision of armed security is mandated by the British Home Office. But if the couple spends much of their time overseas, British taxpayers may balk at paying for their security.
So-called working royals representing the queen full-time at ceremonies and charities get their protection paid for by the state. But junior royals, such as Prince Andrew’s daughter, Beatrice and Eugenie, pay their own way.
5. Relationships
Although they may be some of the most famous people in the world, and although they represent the somewhat abstract notion of “the crown,” the British royal family is still a family. And its members will no doubt want to resolve questions related to Harry and Meghan’s new role as amicably as possible.
Much has been made about a possible rift between Harry and his brother William. The brothers sought to quash such speculation with their statement on Monday.
The two princes said, “Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge. For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.”
Harry and William did not name the article, but the Times of London carried a front-page story Monday, quoting an unnamed source saying that Harry and Meghan thought they were “pushed away by what they saw as a bullying attitude from the Duke of Cambridge.”
Putting an end to further speculation about divisions within the family may be one of the reasons the queen has signalled she wants a quick resolution.
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