What The Queen Really Thinks About Meghan And Harry's Decision
The whole world has been abuzz with the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, better known as Prince Harry and his lovely bride Meghan Markle, have decided to "step back" from the royal family. While we've heard the opinions of numerous celebrities and countless men and women on the street, just what does the most senior royal of all think of her grandson's controversial statement?
While Queen Elizabeth II's initial reaction was said to be that of sadness and disappointment, the first official response issued by Buckingham Palace expressed understanding, though indicating that the "complicated issues... will take time to work through." Not one to just sit and wait for things to resolve themselves, though, HRH soon swung into action, calling for a royal family summit where all of the issues that led to the Sussex secession could be hashed out and a future course charted that the whole family could agree on. While negotiations are still underway, early indications are that the queen, along with the rest of the royals, is responding in a positive and supportive manner.
The queen's public statement on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
After the first family meeting, Queen Elizabeth II spoke to the press regarding Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's drastic decision to distance themselves from the rest of the royals. This face-to-face meeting, which consisted of Prince Charles and Prince William, as well as Prince Harry (Meghan may have joined in via phone, as she has already returned to Canada), was the first time that the queen had met with her younger grandson since his shocker of an announcement. Despite the fact that, according to Fox News, the royal family was not informed of this decision ahead of time, Queen Elizabeth II did not focus on punishing the couple. Nor did she try to force them to rescind their choice, but is instead attempting to negotiate a compromise in which everyone's needs will be served.
The latest statement from the queen has called the discussions "very constructive," and affirmed that the entire family "respect and understand [the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's] wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family." While no specific details were given regarding the logistics of Harry and Meghan's stated wish to reject public funding, as well as their desire to relocate, the queen has "agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK." HRH has also indicated that there is still more work to be done to untangle this complex logistical web, but has nevertheless stated her intent to have matters revolved within a matter of days rather than letting "Megxit" turn into a mess of Brexit-like proportions.