Prince Harry ‘arrives in Canada’ to join Meghan and Archie after couple quit royal duties
Prince Harry has reportedly arrived in Canada to be with his wife Meghan Markle and son Archie after it was agreed that the Sussexes would “step back from royal duties” and stop using their HRH titles.
In an emotional speech delivered over the weekend, the Duke of Sussex said he had “no other option” but to give up his official royal duties and forge a new life in the country, where his wife and son are setting up home.
After making an appearance at the UK-Africa Investment Summit on Monday, Harry subsequently flew to Vancouver International Airport before being escorted to Vancouver Island to join his family, the Daily Mail reports.
The couple spent six weeks together in Canada at the end of last year before the Duke flew back to the UK to complete a number of royal engagements and announce his and Meghan’s decision to quit front-line duties.
Following talks held between the Palace and the Sussexes last week, the couple will now become known as Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, from the spring.
Although they will not use their HRH titles, they will still retain them and Harry, who was born a prince of Wales, will remain a prince.
“This new model will take effect in the spring of 2020,” the palace said.
During Sunday’s speech in London, Harry told invited guests: “What I want to make clear is we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you.
“Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.”
In an earlier statement, the Queen said she was pleased to have found a “constructive and supportive way forward” and added that “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,” she said.
“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.”
Harry and Meghan had wanted to remain as working royals, although not prominent members, and drop their public funding so they could become financially independent – a dual role many commentators said was fraught with problems.
The Duke of Cambridge meanwhile continues with a busy schedule of royal duties, a day after delivering a speech at a Buckingham Palace reception for summit delegates.
William movingly described how Africa was the place he visited after the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, and where he proposed to his wife.
On Tuesday, the Duke will attend a meeting of the United for Wildlife Taskforce at St James’s Palace. He is due to deliver a speech and hold a number of audiences as part of the summit.
Additional reporting by PA
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