Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have officially announced their plans to transition out of the Royal Family.
In a lengthy statement released on their Sussex Royal website, the couple shared an update on the details discussed during the Royal Family’s meeting last month.
The transition, as previously announced, will begin in Spring 2020 and undergo a 12-month review.
In bullet points outlining the details, Prince Harry and Markle reiterate their interest in giving up their royal titles to remove the “public interest” justification for media intrusion into their lives.
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They will become privately funded members of the family with permission to earn their own income and pursue private charitable interests.
Their statement confirms that they will retain their His and Her Royal Highness prefixes, but won’t actively be using the titles by the spring. It was previously believed that they would lose this title.
No details were released regarding the amount of security the duke and duchess would require, but it’s maintained that they will need protection wherever they go. Information on who will pay for this security wasn’t detailed.
Harry and Markle’s office at Buckingham Palace will be closed, given that the primary funding was from Prince Charles.
The couple, as originally alluded to in their Jan. 8 announcement, will not be starting a new foundation, but rather “intend to develop a new way to effect change” globally.
They do plan to start a new non-profit organization, and while details of this remain to be seen, it’s confirmed that it will not use the name “Sussex Royal” or any iteration of “royal.”
Lastly, the couple announces that their digital channels will be refreshed in the Spring to “introduce the next exciting phase.”
The news of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from the family came in early January, when they took to Instagram to share their intentions to step away from senior royal duties.
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“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family,” the Queen said in a statement after the decision was announced. “I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.”
It was later established — after a meeting with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William — that they’d give up their royal titles and split their time between the U.K. and Canada.
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