Who Will Fill the Void Left By the Duke and Duchess of Sussex?
For generations, the worldwide public has been captivated by the British royal family. Its members and their lives have spawned countless books, films and television shows. When Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle, they instantly became one of the most adored and admired celebrity couples in history. The birth of their son, Archie, was front-page news around the globe. Indeed, even their most pedestrian outings are covered by every major media outlet from New York to New Delhi. Earlier today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they will be stepping away from their royal duties and moving to North America in order to make their own mark on the world. Those duties, however, will not merely dry up like the proverbial raisin in the sun. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth has plenty of options to help her fill the void Harry and Meghan leave in their wake.
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The obvious choice to take on some of their responsibilities is Harry's older brother Will and his wife, Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Immensely popular at home and abroad, Will and Kate are no stranger to the public eye. Although it's long been rumored that Harry is Elizabeth's favorite grandchild, it's hard to believe Will and his adorable family aren't high on her list. However, Will and Kate may already have their hands full with three children and their own duties to perform. So it's possible the Queen may look to Princess Beatrice of York.
Beatrice is ninth in the line of succession to the throne. Although it's unlikely she'll ever be Queen, her grandmother is known to be quite fond of Prince Andrew and Fergie's oldest child. Dedicating much of her time to working with underprivileged youth and consistently recognized by the media as being one of the best-dressed royals, Beatrice could prove to be an apt choice to take on some of Harry and Meghan's public duties. No doubt her upcoming wedding to Edoardo Mapelli-Mozzi, who owns a successful property management company, will soon be making headlines.
As the only child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip who hasn't been divorced, their youngest son, Prince Edward of Wessex, could step into a more prominent royal role. Edward took over a number of his father's duties after Philip retired from public life in 2017. Amongst them, Edward currently serves as President of the Commonwealth Games Federation and is chair of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. He is also said to be heavily involved in helping the Queen in her official duties.
The only certainty is that whoever fills the void left by Harry and Meghan, it won't be his uncle, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. Andrew recently stepped away from any and all royal duties himself, albeit for an entirely different reason. His links to disgraced financier and suspected sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein has cast a pall over the House of Windsor and damaged the monarchy. Although Andrew has fervently denied any wrongdoing, he has publicly stated that he does not regret his friendship with the now-deceased Epstein.
