Harry stepping down as a royal family member

[kittykatkitty]

Just read this on their instagram page.
They plan on becoming private citizens

How much £££ will we save?

Nothing.

Excellent post @annielouise. Totally agree.

Fuck me, some of the people on this thread need to take a long hard look at themselves. I’m no fan of the royal family as an institution but this level of personal attack is just beyond comprehension.

I would like to have more detail about the working towards financial independence part of their statement.

If that's true and BP didn't know about it, then it's really bad form to spring this particular piece of news on the Queen and PF like this. They are quite elderly and fragile, esp. Philip.

Ooft, bit of a lukewarm response from BP!

They're not rich enough to live independently yet. I mentally worked out they'll need four security guards. How much are they on? £100k a year? The DM is saying security of £600k which makes sense - 6 security guards to cover shifts and holidays. Then the big houses in Canada and the US - LA and NY? All with space for security and staff. £30m or whatever they have won't last that long with the outgoings.

There'll be deals galore for them now they're working for themselves. They'll tour the world doing speeches/appearances for £1m a go if not more etc.

That's all fine but I don't think they should be doing it trading off the titles HRH Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry.

So just read on instgram that that the palace didn't know they were going to announce this today.

That would be quite shocking if true.

Should have added it

Am I the only human on the planet to have read 0 hate towards Meghan? Where and what is it?

BREAKING. BBC Understands that no other member of the Royal Family was consulted before Harry and Meghan issued their personal statement tonight, the Palace is understood to be ‘disappointed’

Fucking hell 😳

🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿

As said from the start, the whole thing's the consequence of too much haste ... too little time to really know each other or for Meghan to understand what the role entailed, so now they're hoping to find happiness with a halfway house arrangement where they think they'll be able to pick and choose

I hope it works for them, but can't help thinking PPs who said it's only a matter of time until Harry's usefulness is exhausted and he's dispensed with may be right

Golly, let's hope for Harry's sake it does work out with Meghan because it seems he is giving up an awful lot for her.

Announcing it without giving the rest of them a heads up is really poor form

Yes they are adults, but when you've basically worked for your Granny's business your whole life and she's been good to you financially then you at least show manners

I don't care for them and I have long thought the Royal family should be slimmed down at the very least and many of the non-direct heirs should be 'pensioned off' so to speak. Now Harry and Meghan are doing just that I respect their decision. Of course they'll still have millions from his family but I think the fact that they specify being financially independent means they don't intend to take taxpayer money going forward.

I really do think it's a smart move, the writing is on the wall for the RF as an institution more than ever and attitudes towards the RF both in the media and from the public are much more critical in terms of whether we think they're earning their keep or working hard enough. Whatever you think of them it's smart to move elsewhere where they will have far more freedom as ex-working royals and focus on their positions as the head of foundations/patronages/charities etc.

Nevertheless I think it's a sad turn of events in some ways also. For one you can bet the narrative that will take hold is that they left because the UK is a racist country that wouldn't tolerate a black american joining the Royal family. It's not true (although I'm sure there are some who feel that way) but that's how it's going to look.

I also feel concern about the distance - now literal distance that's growing between Harry and his family and friends in the UK. He really doesn't look like a happy person these days so I hope he finds happiness through this move.

About time they all fucked off to be honest - royalty is bloody ridiculous

At least they got Frogmore Cottage renovated beforehand!

I'd forgotten that they trademarked Sussex Royal. Surely they don't think they can use that name for a private foundation? If so, they're really muddying the waters about what's acceptable with an HRH title. It's obviously trading on their name and the RF. If they want a charitable foundation, they should renounce their titles.

As a PP said, they've left the RF a bit under-staffed too. They've now gone from twelve working Royals (before Philip retired and Andrew was demoted) to only eight. I wonder if they'll expect Edward's DCs to step up when they're old enough or if Beatrice and Eugenie will be given more to do.

I think it's a bit like the announcement in 1992; when John Major said the Prince & Princess of Wales are separating but have no plans to divorce. (4 years of hell before the divorce in 1996)
I think it's going to get worse before it gets better for the Sussexes.
I think they will be criticized even more in the British Press. I don't see a "halfway house" of semi detached royalty working.
They get about £8million of funding each year with their staff; security, houses, personal expenditure.
I think they are very, very naive if they think they can sustain that kind of income and more by being superannuated Instagram Influencers.

Did I hear some time ago that Megan's mother was planning on moving to the UK? If so, I guess that'll be off the table too.

As a PP said, they've left the RF a bit under-staffed too. They've now gone from twelve working Royals (before Philip retired and Andrew was demoted) to only eight. I wonder if they'll expect Edward's DCs to step up when they're old enough or if Beatrice and Eugenie will be given more to do.

It's more likely that George, Charlotte and Louis will be 'full-time' royals at a younger age than the more distant cousins stepping up more

The York girls are not going to be able to step up as that will just be seen by the public as letting "Andrew's family" gain from Andrew's shitty behaviour

Edward's kids may, long-term, take over the Duke of Edinburgh awards. Especially if the title plan for Edward to be DofE once Charles is King goes ahead. Edward and Sophie have been heavily involved in the DofE awards over the last few years.

"BREAKING. BBC Understands that no other member of the Royal Family was consulted before Harry and Meghan issued their personal statement tonight, the Palace is understood to be ‘disappointed’"

That's shocking if it's true, for a start I would have thought Harry would have had detailed discussions with Charles & the Queen about this, regarding any future funding, what happens to their titles, what happens to their UK patronages and where will they move to etc. Perhaps it's just the timing of the announcement that was not communicated to the RF, I simply can't believe they were not informed about the decision beforehand?

Oh dear, it's pretty clear that BP weren't expecting this.

That's a very rare comeback from them.

I'm quietly cheering for the Queen to be honest.