Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and his wife have had to forgo being royals full-time though they wanted to be able to continue their duty to the Queen.
The Duke of Sussex, Harry, who is no longer to be referred to as HRH as he was stripped of his title after choosing to step back as a senior member of the royal member, recently opened up about his heartbreak over the tough choice. On January 9, he and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, announced that they are seeking a "financially independent" life that was not dependent on public funding. They wanted to work part-time as royals while dividing time between Canada and the UK.
The royal family recently announced the details of their agreement after some crisis meetings as the announcement made by the couple had been unexpected. It was revealed that Harry lost his military titles too and that they would return the amount spent on renovating their Frogmore Cottage, which is to be their home in the UK.
During a private dinner for a charity, Sentebale, that Harry had founded in 2006, he revealed in an emotional speech that when Meghan and he married they were there to serve the people, according to the Express UK. It was the media scrutiny and ill-treatment of his wife that made them take the drastic step.
He spoke honestly and spoke his "truth" at the event, where he gave a nod to his mother Lady Diana Spencer as well. "Before I begin, I must say that I can only imagine what you may have heard or perhaps read over the last few weeks. So, I want you to hear the truth from me, as much as I can share – not as a Prince, or a Duke, but as Harry, the same person that many of you have watched grow up over the last 35 years – but with a clearer perspective. The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change," he said according to the Express UK.
"I have grown up feeling support from so many of you, and I watched as you welcomed Meghan with open arms as you saw me find the love and happiness that I had hoped for all my life. Finally, the second son of Diana got hitched, hurray! I also know you’ve come to know me well enough over all these years to trust that the woman I chose as my wife upholds the same values as I do. And she does, and she’s the same woman I fell in love with," he continued.
"We both do everything we can to fly the flag and carry out our roles for this country with pride. Once Meghan and I were married, we were excited, we were hopeful, and we were here to serve. For those reasons, it brings me great sadness that it has come to this. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option," he added.
"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. I’ve accepted this, knowing that it doesn’t change who I am or how committed I am. But I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life," he said in his heartfelt speech.
A day before his speech, the Queen said in a press release that she was supportive of her grandson's decision. "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family," the official statement published on her official website said.
References:
https://www.royal.uk/statement-her-majesty-queen-0
