Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II agreed to give up her grandson Prince Harry and his wife, Megan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, for their royal duties, and blessed their “new, more independent” lives.
“My family and I fully support Harry and Meghan’s desire to start a new life as a young family,” the Queen said in a statement, issued after a meeting of senior members of the royal family.
She added: “Although we would have preferred to remain active members of the royal family all the time, we respect and understand their desire to lead a more independent life as a family while remaining part of it and its dignity in my family.”
The Queen explained that there will be a transitional period during which the couple spends time between Britain and Canada, noting that more work is needed to finalize the future arrangements for the couple.
On January 8, Prince Harry and his wife announced their desire to give up their royal duties and start an independent life. They also expressed their desire to go to North America and live between Canada and Britain. Their decision faced the rejection of some members of the royal family.