Buckingham Palace Breaks Its Silence on a Reported Move Abroad for Meghan and Harry
It's not often that the Palace gets involved with royal reports. With the amount of press involving Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and the new royal baby, there's just not enough time in the day for the Palace to even try to keep up, anyway. But a report from the Sunday Times that Meghan and Harry might move to Africa for new royal jobs has the Palace weighing in.
Royal reporter Richard Palmer tweeted Sunday that Buckingham Palace is not denying a report that this move is a possibility.
Buckingham Palace is not denying a report that officials have discussed sending Harry and Meghan to Africa as a way of capitalising on their appeal to young people in the Commonwealth - and of putting further distance between them and the Cambridges.
- Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) April 21, 2019
Buckingham Palace: “Any future plans for The Duke and Duchess are speculative at this stage. No decisions have been taken about future roles.
“The Duke will continue to fulfil his role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.”- Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) April 21, 2019
The Times report, which published early Sunday morning, states that Meghan and Harry have become royal "rock stars" and that a job abroad might help to ease off the spotlight that shines so brightly on them. A source told the publication that the thinking from Prince Harry's advisers is basically this: "How do we harness Harry and Meghan? How do you harness this phenomenon that has emerged? You make it productive."
The new position was described by a source as a "bespoke" role that would combine work on behalf of the Commonwealth as well as charity work. The idea, a source told the Times, is for Meghan and Harry to use their "soft power abilities" to make an impact in another country, most likely Africa. The couple, who reportedly fell in love in Botswana, have a tie to the continent; Harry spent his gap year in Lesotho in 2004.
Royal courtiers said this could likely be Meghan and Harry's "Malta moment," or for anyone who's seen The Crown, the period of time between 1949 and 1951 when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip spent time doing service abroad.
The timing of this reported plan comes at a transitional period for the royal family. The Sussex and Cambridge crews have split royal households, which is a huge shift for the "Fab Four" royals. Harry and Meghan have left London for Windsor and Frogmore Cottage, where baby Sussex will live after he or she is born in the near future.
But as of now, it's safe to say that an Africa move is not not happening after the arrival of the newest royal.
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