Queen Elizabeth II has made her first comments on the dramatic news last week that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan to effectively resign from the British royal family.
In a statement released on Monday following a crunch meeting between senior royals, Her Majesty said she would have “preferred” Prince Harry and Markle to have remained “full-time working members of the royal family.”
The Queen added, however, that they go with her blessing. “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” she added.
The Queen said there will now be a “period of transition” in which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “spend time in Canada and the UK,” but she acknowledged that “these are complex matters.”
The Queen, Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles took part in the so-called “Sandringham Summit” on Monday, while Markle joined the discussion on the phone from Canada. The Queen described the talks as “very constructive.” Below is her statement in full:
“Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. 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.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.
“These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
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