Leaving the nest
Harry and Meghan agree to give up their ‘Royal Highness’ titles and repay millions while pursuing a more independent future,
WINDSOR, ENGLAND— Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will stop using their primary royal titles, give up state funding and repay at least £2.4 million ($4.1 million) in taxpayer money used to refurbish their official residence at Windsor Castle under an agreement announced by Buckingham Palace on Saturday.
The unusual deal, negotiated by aides to the Queen, Prince Harry and other senior family members, is intended to end a crisis that erupted 10 days ago when the couple abruptly announced plans to step back from their royal duties and spend part of each year in North America.
However civil, the agreement codifies one of the most dramatic ruptures within the Royal Family since King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry an American woman, Wallis Simpson.
The couple plan to spend a majority of their time outside Britain, initially in Canada but later likely in the United States as well, according to officials at the palace. They will continue to carry out limited duties on behalf of the Queen and will retain the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Harry will also remain a prince and sixth in line of succession. But under the deal, the couple will no longer use the primary titles “His Royal Highness” or “Her Royal Highness” because they will no longer be working royals.
They will be allowed to earn money in the private sector, though palace officials said the duke and duchess had agreed that whatever work they pursued would “uphold the values of Her Majesty.”
Prince Charles will continue to provide the couple with financial support.
The Queen gave the duke and duchess Frogmore Cottage, a historic house on the grounds of Windsor Castle, to serve as their primary residence. They came under criticism for refurbishing the house at a cost of at least £2.4 million in public funds.
Keith Roy of the Monarchist League of Canada said the deal is exactly what Harry and Meghan had asked for and appears to clear the path for their plan to lead more private lives and split their time between Canada and the U.K.
“It looks like they’re moving as expeditiously as possible in a way that’s respectful of taxpayers’ money, public sentiment and the duke and duchess’s desires to pursue an independent life,” he said.
Roy said he doesn’t expect the deal to impact the public cost of their security during their parttime residence in Canada.
“If you as a citizen or resident of Canada were being hounded and pursued by other members of the public or the press, I think you would expect that our government would provide you security so you could live as peaceful a life as possible,” he said.
He added that he does expect some of their security will be privately funded.
But royal historian Carolyn Harris said the deal may affect how their security is paid for. She noted that Harry’s cousins, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, also hold reduced royal roles.
“Beatrice and Eugenie originally had British state-funded security and that attracted a lot of criticism in the British press when they were travelling with security officers. Now their father, the Duke of York, privately pays for their security,” Harris said.