Meghan Markle reportedly flew back to Canada to be with Archie after the announcement was made in the United Kingdom.
Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they will be stepping back "as 'senior' members of the Royal Family" people have speculated what that would mean for their future. The couple revealed that they will "work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen."
While the process might take some time, there are some changes that are taking place really quickly.
In a shocking move, Madame Tussauds London declared that they are removing the wax statues of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the royals' display. In a statement published on social media, they said, "Last night, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shocked the nation by announcing that they are to ‘step back as senior members of the royal family,’ dividing their time between the UK and North America. To reflect the upcoming change in the royal lineup, Madame Tussauds London will be moving its Harry and Meghan figures from its royal set with immediate effect."
They titled the press release, "Sus-SIX degrees of separation" and were criticized for the frivolous take.
BREAKING: #MEGxit continues... pic.twitter.com/1cZohIRaok
— Tony Morrison (@THETonyMorrison) January 9, 2020
In another post, the museum said that their action was to respect the royal couple's wishes.
We’ve got to respect their wishes 🤷♂️ #Megxit pic.twitter.com/mb936VcqRd
— Madame Tussauds London (@MadameTussauds) January 9, 2020
Meanwhile, people commenting on their post calling them "petty." "I am impressed at the speed of this pettiness!" said one person on Twitter, according to Cosmopolitan.
These are not the only changes the royal couple is facing though following their announcement. They took a hard path towards having a happier and private life, away from the British tabloids, whom they have criticized openly multiple times.
The couple is looking forward to spending time in North America and the United Kingdom by withdrawing from a full-time role as a senior royal. The duo has not abdicated so Prince Harry is still a prince and Markle is still a Duchess, according to ABC. Their relationship with the media will change as they will no longer participate in the Royal Rota system, according to Noted.co.nz.
They will be "engaging with grassroots media organizations and young, up-and-coming journalists; inviting specialist media to specific engagements to give greater access to their cause-driven activities and to widen the spectrum of news coverage." They are bypassing specific UK print and broadcast media houses as "the current structure makes it challenging for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to personally share moments in their lives directly with members of the public (via social media for example), without first going through the filter of the Royal Rota."
They also spoke about their financial situation, where they receive 5% from the Sovereign Grant, and the rest comes from the Duchy of Cornwall – private estates and a portfolio of assets – currently owned by Prince Charles as the Duke of Cornwall. They are prohibited from earning privately and they want to change that so they can stop accessing the Sovereign Grant. However, it is assumed that they would continue to receive funding from the Duchy of Cornwall, according to Noted.co.nz. While there is confusion over their funding going forward, the Queen has asked the most senior royals to find a solution as early as next week, according to the Evening Standard.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle has reportedly returned to Canada where Archie is while Prince Harry attends the discussions with his family over their future. The royal family reportedly had not been intimated about their announcement before it was released and neither were they consulted. This surprise move has caused some uproar in the royal household, according to sources. Post Harry and Meghan's announcement, Buckingham Palace responded with this statement, "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," according to BBC.
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