6 privileges Prince Harry and Meghan Markle no longer have after quitting royal family
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have officially stepped down from their roles in the royal family to embark on a new life split between the UK and North America.
The couple will no longer be entitled to a range of privileges granted exclusively to members of the monarchy.
From no more royal tours to a complete change in media strategy, read on to find out some of the royal perks Meghan and Harry will no longer have access to.
1. They will not be allowed to travel around the globe on behalf of the Queen
Now that Meghan and Harry will no longer be working members of the royal family, they will no longer be able to undertake duties on behalf of the Queen, including royal tours.
Since marrying, the couple have done two royal tours, first to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga and then to South Africa.
The latter was the subject of an ITV documentary that aired in October 2019.
2. They will no longer receive money from the Sovereign Grant
The couple have made it clear they wish to become financially independent, meaning they will no longer receive funding from the Sovereign Grant, which previously covered five per cent of costs for the couple’s official office expense.
The Sovereign Grant is the annual funding mechanism for the monarchy that allows members of the royal family to maintain their official residences and workspaces.
It is understood, however, that Meghan and Harry will continue to receive some money from Prince Charles, whose income from the Duchy of Cornwall accounted for 95 per cent of their expenditure when they were working members of the royal family.
3. They will have to repay the £2.4m cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage
The couple will have to repay the millions of pounds spent renovating their Berkshire home, Frogmore Cottage.
The renovations on the home nestled on the Queen’s Windsor Estate were carried out in 2018 and cost the taxpayer £2.4m.
4. They will no longer have an official office at Buckingham Palace
In January, it was decided that Meghan and Harry’s Institutional Office at Buckingham Palace would have to be closed, resulting in the loss of jobs for members of staff working there.
On the Sussex Royal website, the couple said of the office closure: “The Duke and Duchess shared this news with their team personally in January once they knew of the decision, and have worked closely with their staff to ensure a smooth transition for each of them.
“Over the last month and a half, The Duke and Duchess have remained actively involved in this process, which has understandably been saddening for The Duke and Duchess and their loyal staff, given the closeness of Their Royal Highnesses and their dedicated team.”
5. Their security will no longer be funded by the Canadian government
From November 2019, Meghan and Harry had been residing in Vancouver Island, Canada, where the Canadian government had funded security for the couple.
However, the country intends to stop paying for their security when they relinquish their roles in the royal family.
“The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status,” a Canadian government representative said in a statement to CBC News.
6. They will no longer be protected from paparazzi photographs appearing online
Now that the couple are no longer working members of the royal family, they are also no longer a part of the royal rota system.
The system provides the UK media with lawfully obtained imagery of members of the British monarchy.
Now, however, the couple will be effectively treated as celebrities by the press and paparazzi photographs of them, such as those taken of Meghan in January, are more likely to appear online without their consent.
