Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Released a Detailed Breakdown of Their New Life
All the speculation about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's transition from royals to normal civilians can be put to rest. Today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — that's not changing — released a detailed outline of what their lives will entail now that they've set a clear timeline for their transition. Titled the Spring 2020 Transition, Harry and Meghan touch on everything from their titles to their roles and exactly what's going to happen to their trademarks. It's so detailed, in fact, that even Prince Harry's military ranks and honors are explained. Here's what you need to know.
Everything was settled between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and the royal family back in January 2020. All of the changes will go into effect in Spring 2020 and are subject to a 12-month review.
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According to the statement, Harry and Meghan "remain a valued part of Her Majesty's family." Though they'll have permission to earn an income, they're still "privately funded members of The Royal Family" and will continue to pursue their chosen charities. Speaking of those charities, Harry and Meghan will maintain their patronages, even ones that are classified as "royal patronages."
And while Harry and Meghan will continue to be known as His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex (HRH for short), they won't be actively using those titles in any of their future endeavors. With controversy swirling around the use of "royal," the palace stated that Harry and Meghan won't be using the term moving forward. "'Sussex Royal' or any iteration of the word 'Royal'" won't be used "in any territory." That means the pair's Sussex Royal non-profit will have to change its name. The statement also clarified the Sussex's "foundation." It won't happen, but the two of them will work with existing organizations worldwide to further their causes.
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After the transition, they'll no longer be "working members" of the family and will cease representing "Her Majesty The Queen." Though there were statements issued about Harry's place in the line of succession released previously, the royal family explicitly stated that he will retain his spot in the Order of Precedence. Currently, Harry is sixth in line for the throne.
Harry will also retain his military rank, major, and his honorary ranks of lieutenant commander and squadron leader. During the yearlong review, Harry won't use the ranks, since they were gifts from the queen, though there won't be any replacements enlisted for Harry's spots in the military. Harry will continue to support the military through his efforts with the Invictus Games Foundation and The Endeavour Fund.
Meghan and Harry's Institutional Office, which was at Buckingham Palace, was shut down in January. The Sussexes have worked to transition their team, according to their statement. As for everything after the review, the Sussexes noted that all updates will be posted to the same site, making it easy for fans to keep up with the latest developments after everything gets sorted out in a year's time.
