Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan have permanently quit royal duties.
Queen Elizabeth II ordered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are formally known, to relinquish their honorary titles and patronages following the confirmation that they would not be returning as working royals.
The couple relocated to the United States last year and have since embarked on several commercial ventures there including lucrative tieups with the streaming platforms Netflix and Spotify.
At an emergency January 2020 summit with the queen, Harry’s father Prince Charles and brother Prince William, Harry agreed they would stop using their “Royal Highness” titles and the “Sussex Royal” brand.
But the senior family members pledged to review the situation a year on — with the move now made permanent, days after Harry and Meghan announced on Valentine’s Day, they are expecting their second child.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family,” Buckingham Palace announced.
“The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.”
However, it appears the pair will retain their official titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Harry remains sixth in line to the throne, with no change in the line of succession.
