Everything We Know About Meghan Markle & Prince Harry's New Life in Canada

Julie Sprankles
·4 min read

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It’s been weeks since they announced they were “stepping back” from royal duties, begging the question, How is Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s new life in Canada going? Following their groundbreaking decision, much has been made about the couple’s decision as well as the royal family’s response to it. But little has been heard from the Sussexes themselves — and an insider says it’s because they’re “enjoying living a quiet life.”

On Jan. 8, Meghan and Harry revealed they wanted to continue to serve the Queen but not accept public funds. They wanted to carve out a progressive new role within the monarchy that would suit both the needs of their family and the needs of the royal family. And while things didn’t necessarily go off without a hitch, a friend of the couple reportedly told People that the move was well worth it. “This decision [to leave] had been weighing on them for a long time, and they are relieved to have it done,” said the source. “A weight has been lifted off their shoulders.”

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So, what does life on Vancouver Island in Canada look like for Meghan and Harry? Pretty idyllic, by the sound of it. “They both love to be outside and have been loving it there. When they’re not doing yoga or eating in, Harry will pick up sandwiches at a local spot, and Meghan walks her beagle Guy and the couple’s new Labrador,” shared the insider, adding, “They are enjoying living a quiet life.”

In addition to long walks in the British Columbia woods and yoga, that quiet new life includes meals cooked by Meghan while they cozy up at home with their 8-month-old son. “They are real homebodies who love to chill out with Archie and the dogs,” the source said.

But the couple is busy making plans, too. Behind the scenes, they’ve been hard at work getting their charity foundation off the ground. “These plans take a lot of time, and staff are putting in the legwork to prepare it properly and make sure it delivers on the expectations and the couple’s ambitions.

The public has been privy to a few of the family’s other recent projects, including a voiceover deal with Disney for Meghan and an upcoming AppleTV+ mental-health special for Harry (with Oprah, no less). “It’s full throttle for them right now,” a close friend told People. “They have a lot happening in 2020, and it will be really exciting to see.”

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Today, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Canada House in London to thank the High Commissioner Janice Charette and staff for the warm hospitality during their recent stay in Canada. The Duke and Duchess have a strong connection to Canada. It’s a country The Duke of Sussex has visited many times over the years and it was also home to The Duchess for seven years before she became a member of The Royal Family. Thank you Canada 🇨🇦! • Video © SussexRoyal Music © Raphael Lake

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jan 7, 2020 at 9:57am PST

Moving full steam ahead with their new life in Canada means leaving behind perhaps more of their old life than they expected, though. Queen Elizabeth has already decided that Meghan and Harry can no longer use their HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles. Harry has had to step back from his beloved role as youth ambassador. And he’s also been stripped of his honorary military appointments. It’s unclear at this point whether the couple will be able to keep their Sussex Royal branding.

Still, Meghan and Harry were able to negotiate “almost everything they asked for.” As for losing their HRH titles? “Harry doesn’t care about the titles,” a source in their inner circle said. “It doesn’t interest him; it never has.”

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