Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially leaving their royal roles behind.
Announced earlier today, the Palace revealed that while the couple will still retain their titles, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and be part of the family, they will not return as working royals after a year long “trial” period.
“Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” Buckingham Palace shared in a statement.
Meghan and Harry‘s royally appointed patronages will revert back to the Queen, however, there are four combined patronages that they will retain.
Here’s what they are:
- Smart Works, a charity supporting women preparing for job interviews by offering them practical support including clothes. In a statement, Smart Works said ”We are delighted to confirm that The Duchess of Sussex will remain a Patron of Smart Works. We are thankful for everything she has done in support of our clients and look forward to working together in the future.”
- The Invictus Foundation, which Harry helped set up. A statement from the Foundation said “we are proud to have The Duke of Sussex as our Patron. The Invictus Games was founded by him, it has been built on his ideas and he remains fully committed to both the Games and to the Invictus Games Foundation.”
- Mayhew, an animal support charity that Meghan personally reached out to. “We’re pleased to confirm that The Duchess of Sussex will remain our Patron. We want to thank The Duchess for all of her support, and look forward to continuing our work with her helping dogs, cats and communities in need.”
- WellChild: “We are delighted to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will continue as Patron of WellChild. He has always been a great supporter of ours and has made an important difference to the work we are able to do for families across the UK. We look forward to working with him in the future.”
While not a patronage, Harry will also retain his position in Sentebale as President of African Parks; and he also still holds roles with Wales-Lesotho, the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund and Rhino Conservation Botswana.
Harry and Meghan are currently expecting their second child, and it’s rumored that Baby Sussex #2 is due in this month.
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