Saturday, 18 January 2020

Harry and Meghan to drop HRH titles and repay £2.4m



Harry and Meghan to drop HRH titles and repay £2.4m

Duke and Duchess of Sussex will give back taxpayers’ money spent on renovating their home and withdraw from official duties

Sat 18 Jan 2020 18.51 GMTLast modified on Sat 18 Jan 2020 20.22 GMT

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer to use their HRH titles and will repay £2.4m of taxpayers’ money spent on renovating their Berkshire home, the couple have announced, as talks about their future roles concluded.

The Queen said she was pleased they have “found a constructive and supportive way forward” for the family.

Buckingham Palace said under the new arrangement, Harry and Meghan are “required to step back from royal duties” and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties, adding: “This new model will take effect in the spring of 2020.”

The Queen said in a statement: “Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.

“I recognise 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.

 “I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.

“It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”

The Duke and Duchess’ new website, sussexroyal.com, has been updated following the Queen’s statement.

“In line with the statement by Her Majesty the Queen, information on the roles and work of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be updated on this website in due course,” the update reads.

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