Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s to step back from royal duties and Queen Elizabeth II is “deeply upset”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Fresh from the Canadian holiday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has decided to step back from being senior members of the British Royal Family to “carve out a progressive new role within this institution.” Here is the statement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their website:

After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family, and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge, and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.

The British Royal Family must have been caught by surprise when the extraordinary announcement of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s plan to “step back” from their current roles and split their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

It is understood that not one member of the family, not even Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles or Prince William, was consulted before the statement was released. The Royal Family was said to be "hurt" and "deeply disappointed",  leaving the 93-year-old monarch “deeply upset”. Royal aides felt blindsided since it was only "very recently" that they were told of the couple’s plans.  The announcement, however, was "personal" and not palace-sanctioned.

Two hours after the royal couple made their statement, Buckingham Palace released a statement, saying that their "desire to take a different approach" created "complicated issues" that would take time to resolve.

Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.

This unprecedented announcement was branded “devastating” for the Queen, who has already endured a terrible few months having had to effectively implore the Duke of York to stand down from public duties over his relationship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.