Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to Step Back from Royal Roles
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to Step Back from Royal Roles

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced their plans to step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. Buckingham Palace shared a personal message from Harry and Meghan this afternoon that outlines their intention to “carve out a progressive new role within [the institution of the royal family].”

Within the statement, the royal couple outlines their plans to not only split their time between North America and United Kingdom, but also to “work to become financially independent.”

The announcement comes as rumors were circulating that Harry and Meghan plan to move to Canada in the future, but the official statement does not clarify if that is their intention, or if they will spend more time in the United States, where Meghan is from, and where her mother still lives.

“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,” reads the statement.

Despite the shocking shift in their position within the royal family, the Sussexes are careful to point out that they are still committed to their duty not only to the Queen but also the Commonwealth, and their patronages.

Read the full statement from Buckingham Palace below:

“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.”

Source: https://www.townandcountrymag.com

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Baby Archie Are In Canada Right Now

Earlier today, Queen Elizabeth set off for her traditional weeks-long holiday vacation in Sandringham and Prince Philip traveled from Norfolk to the King Edward VII Hospital in London for observation (a release from Buckingham Palace assured the public that the hospital stay is “a precautionary measure” related to a pre-existing condition). But they aren’t the only royals on the move at the moment—today, a palace spokesperson revealed that Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and baby Archie are in Canada, adding that they would be taking some time to enjoy the country as a family.

“As has been reported, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are spending private family time in Canada. The decision to base themselves in Canada reflects the importance of this Commonwealth country to them both,” the announcement stated. “The Duke of Sussex has been a frequent visitor to Canada over many years, and it was also home to The Duchess for seven years before she became a member of the Royal Family. They are enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape with their young son.”

The fact that Harry and Meghan are traveling abroad so close to the Christmas holiday is not a total surprise—the couple had previously announced that they planned to spend the holidays this year with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, though it wasn’t clear where. Given the timing of their current trip, it certainly could be possible that the Sussex family will be celebrating Christmas in America’s northern neighbor.

The choice to eschew Christmas with the royals may also, in part, be due to Harry and Meghan’s desire to step back from the public eye. In a documentary about the Sussexes’ tour of southern Africa Meghan discussed her struggle with the pressures of being a new mom under media scrutiny back in October, and the couple subsequently decided to take some time away from royal duties last month.

It was not announced when the family will be returning from their Canadian holiday.

Source: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/

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Meghan Markle’s Busy, Difficult Year Is Ending Quietly—So What’s Next?

It’s been an eventful year for the royal family, and maybe for the Duchess of Sussex most of all. From the eagerly awaited arrival of Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor to his (very private) christening and debut action packed overseas tour to South Africa, there hasn’t been a quiet moment for the new family. But while it has been a largely successful year for the new royal family, there have been challenges as Meghan navigates her new role, and some very public struggles for the couple. Meghan and Harry have had a rocky time in the tabloids, which has prompted them to take legal action, and there have been continued rumors of tensions between Meghan and Kate and a falling out between Harry and his brother William, with Harry revealing that they are on “different paths” in a recent documentary.

Rarely off the front pages, Meghan has kept incredibly busy in her first full year as a royal— and despite the criticism she has faced in some media outlets, biographer Andrew Morton says it’s been, by and large a successful year for the new duchess.

“Meghan has done everything that a new royal bride is expected to do,” said Morton, author of Meghan: A Hollywood Princess. “She has given birth to a beautiful baby, she has undertaken numerous engagements abroad and at home. She has made a number of competent speeches and has made the Queen laugh.”

But Morton also acknowledges, “It’s been a tough year for Meghan and there has been a lot of criticism. I think she’s been unfairly criticized from the outset just like Diana was and just like Fergie was. Meghan is no different. Royal women tend to be more criticised than royal men. They are scrutinised for what they wear how they look what they say.’

Over the past twelve months Meghan has carried out hundreds of domestic and overseas engagements, taken on new charitable commitments and launched exciting initiatives including her successful capsule collection for the charity Smart Works. She also edited the September issue of British Vogue while on maternity leave, showing off
an impressive work ethic that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Queen.

“2019 was a tremendously productive year for the Duchess of Sussex,” said Christine Ross, editor of the site Meghan’s Mirror. “In her first full year of being a Duchess, Meghan has embraced her role in a powerful way. The Duchess of Sussex’s large-scale initiatives over the year showcased her dedication to her charitable patronages and the causes she is passionate about.”

Amid everything there have been rumors of a rift between the Sussexes and the Cambridges, and speculation that Meghan and Kate don’t get along. After moving from Kensington Palace to their new home Frogmore Cottage in Windsor ahead of Archie’s birth in May, the Sussexes set up their own household at Buckingham Palace, further distancing themselves from the Cambridges. In June they left the Royal Foundation, which Harry set up with Kate and William, to start their own philanthropic venture, the Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. That organization launches next year and will have a particular focus outside the UK in the Commonwealth and in the States.

The Commonwealth was also a focus of their tour of South Africa in September, and was a chance for the couple to show baby Archie to the world. In a historic moment Archie met Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town, becoming the youngest royal to participate in official tour duties. While the tour was deemed a triumph for the couple, it ended with Harry’s bombshell announcement that Meghan plans to sue the *Mail on Sunday* for breach of copyright after the newspaper published excerpts of a private letter she wrote to her father Thomas Markle. The couple also opened up to their friend journalist Tom Bradby about the difficulty of their roles, with Meghan revealing that she was “existing, not living.” From being attacked over her extravagant baby shower, to the cost of the extensive refurbishments at the couple’s house and their use of private jets over the summer, Meghan has frequently come under fire.

“Meghan is smart and she showed her purpose at her wedding by the people she invited,” Morton said. “She invited people she didn’t know well – Oprah, George and Amal Clooney the big Hollywood hitters. It was a clever move, because they are the ones who have stood up for her when she has been attacked.

But even with A-list support behind her, as a former actress and an American Meghan in some ways remains an outsider within the royal family, says Morton. ‘I don’t think people have given her latitude for being American,’ says Morton. ‘Plus it’s a difficult family to marry into. The Royal Family is full of traditions and rituals such as who walks into a room first, who curtsies first. Things that are nonsensical to an outsider. The whole etiquette of royalty is hard to get grips with. Just because she seems competent and was a successful actress doesn’t mean it’s been easy for her. Nothing could have prepared her for everything that has happened.’

Now on a sabbatical from royal duties until January, Meghan, Harry, and Archie spent their first Thanksgiving as a family in the States with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, and are now enjoying some down time. Given their whirlwind year it’s no wonder they are trading a busy royal Christmas for a more low key family affair.

Morton points out while her own family is limited to Ragland, Meghan has the support of the Queen, the Prince of Wales and her religion to turn to when she needs it.

“Her faith is important to her as it is to the Queen and Prince Charles and I think one of the reasons they get along is that there is a spirituality and sense of faith about her that is real and apparent,” Morton said. “I’m sure like the Queen she draws on her religion in times of need.”

Looking to next year Morton predicts another royal baby and a busy itinerary for the hard working couple. “One will hope for baby number two to complete their family, and I think we’ll see them travel and fundraise around the world. There will be an international element to this couple as Commonwealth ambassadors, they’re in a good position to go around the world and I think things look very positive. There are storm clouds ahead though. and court cases are coming up that will be unpleasant. You also wonder, is she ever going to be reconciled with her father?’

For now, they remain on sabbatical and under-the-radar and planning a low-key Christmas before hitting the ground running in the new year. Like the Queen, who also faced challenges this year, Meghan may look forward to a smoother 2020.

Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/

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November 06 – Visiting The Broom Farm Community Centre

On November 06, 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a private visit to The Broom Farm Community Centre.

A post on Sussex Royal said: “The Duke and Duchess surprised their neighbours in Windsor at a coffee morning for military families in a community centre located in the heart of the Army housing estate. Every year during the month of November we pause to remember and honour all those who have served their country here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world. Their Royal Highnesses also wanted to show support for the families of service personnel who are currently deployed overseas.

As we lead up to Remembrance Sunday, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will join Her Majesty The Queen and other Members of the Royal Family at various commemoration events, including the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and the Cenotaph.

During the visit yesterday, Their Royal Highnesses met with young families who shared their experiences as parents and as couples who are often apart from their loved ones for months at a time. A reminder that a life of service does not simply describe the person wearing the uniform, but the entire family.”

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > Engagements in 2019 > November 06 | Visiting The Broom Farm Community Centre

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Photos – The Duchess of Sussex Visits The Luminary Bakery

The Sussex Royal Instagram account revealed that the Duchess of Sussex made a private visit to The Luminary Bakery.

First featured in British Vogue’s ‘Forces For Change’ September issue that Meghan guest edited. The Luminary Bakery is a non profit bakery that uses baking as a tool to take women on a journey to employ ability and entrepreneurship, equipping them with transferable skills for the working world. Offering courses, work experience and paid employment within the bakery, empowering women to build their career. By investing in and releasing them to realize their dreams – through training, employment and community, they aim to break cycles of poverty, violence & disadvantage once and for all.

This visit coincides with a story for The Telegraph by journalist Bryony Gordon who followed The Duchess as she joined The Luminary Bakery for the opening of their new location which will enable the organisation to provide services, support and mentoring for four times the number of women. You can read the article here where Meghan talks about how vulnerability is one of humanity’s greatest strengths.

During her visit Meghan met with the women of the bakery who shared their emotional stories with her.

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Photoshoots & Official Portraits > Charity Projects > The Luminary Bakery 2019

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Filed in Gallery Updates Royal Tour: South Africa Royal Visit

Photos & Roundup: October 02 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 10

FROM SUSSEX ROYAL: In Tembisa, Johannesburg, today The Duke and Duchess visited to meet young entrepreneurs at the YES hub – a hive for creativity and social enterprise. Their visit was an amazing tour of the ingenuity and opportunity – seeing businesses that varied from food to essential sanitary products for local women.

During their visit, they were able to sample food from ‘Chef Mish’ – a local masterchef winner – which he makes at the site as part of his catering business and cafe. They then joined YES community members to take part in training and tests that will help them gain skills and find work.

On the third stop today, entrepreneur Moss showed The Duke and Duchess the organic produce he’s growing in the township with aquaponics – supplying local restaurants.

And finally, The Duke and Duchess met the women behind the amazing Blossom Care Solutions – who are making 80,000 sanitary pads every month for women in their community. They are 100% compostable, and provide an essential low-cost product for women and girls.

The Duchess has long campaigned on this issue and wrote in Time magazine in 2017, saying: “In communities all over the globe, young girls’ potential is being squandered because we are too shy to talk about the most natural thing in the world. To that I say: we need to push the conversation, mobilize policy making surrounding menstrual health initiatives, support organizations who foster girls’ education from the ground up, and within our own homes, we need to rise above our puritanical bashfulness when it comes to talking about menstruation.”

FROM SUSSEX ROYAL: Today as they near the end of #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica The Duke and Duchess have been able to spend time with Graça Machel – the politician, humanitarian, and international advocate for women’s and children’s rights.

Their Royal Highnesses were delighted to be able to meet Graça and her family, and talk about their shared passion for their work on equality and human rights.

Graça, who was married to former South African President and anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela, was made an honorary British Dame by Her Majesty The Queen for her contributions and services to human rights protection.

Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 02 |South Africa Tour – Day 10 – Set 1
Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 02 | South Africa Tour – Day 10 – Set 2

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Photos & Roundup: October 01 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 9

On the final leg of The Duke and Duchesses tour of South Africa, The Duchess of Sussex travelled to Johannesburg for a number of education themed engagements.

UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG: Meghan’s first stop was to the University of Johannesburg in her role as Patron of The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s first international university network, and is the only accredited organisation representing higher education across the Commonwealth. The ACU manages international scholarship schemes, including The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships, and convenes universities to address key policy challenges such as gender and equity, climate resilience, and peace and reconciliation.

During her visit The Duchess of Sussex attended a round-table discussion at the University joining students and educators who openly discussed challenges for girls gaining access to university. Meghan also revealed three new gender grants for the University of Johannesburg, Stellenbosch University and the University of Western Cape. Of which the grant for Stellenbosch will fund a ‘unique campus walking route’ designed to make both men and women feel safer at university. Duchess Meghan also revealed four new Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships for students from Tanzania, Zambia and Nigeria.

ACTIONAID: Next, The Duchess of Sussex visited a local school in Johannesburg to meet with representatives from ActionAid to discuss a range of issues including gender based and sexual violence in schools. Prince Charles is currently the Patron of ActionAid, a charity that is working to achieve social justice and gender equality, and working to eradicate poverty. Focusing specifically on women right’s which is a thread throughout their work. One of the projects Action Aid works with is the Teddy Bear Clinic, which provides essential support to children and families affected by domestic and sexual abuse. After the meeting with representatives The Duchess traveled privately to meet young girls who are being supported by ActionAid and The Teddy Bear Clinic.

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Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 01 | South Africa Tour – Day 9 – Set 1
Appearances & Engagements Photos > South Africa Tour > October 01 | South Africa Tour – Day 9 – Set 2

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Behind the scenes with Meghan Markle: Duchess tells Bryony Gordon how vulnerability is one of humanity’s greatest strengths

Back from her African tour, the Duchess of Sussex pays a visit to a project for disadvantaged women – and tells Bryony Gordon how she encouraged Prince Harry to speak openly about his mental health

In a small, sparse room at the back of a bakery on the urban streets of Camden, north London, the Duchess of Sussex is comforting a crying woman.

Tanya’s tears fall over the scars that will remain on her cheeks for the rest of her life; stark reminders of the violent ex partner who is now serving a lengthy prison sentence after he stabbed her repeatedly.

Tanya is explaining what this, the bakery that doubles as a social enterprise, has done for her since that terrible day back in 2016. By a cruel twist of fate it was International Women’s Day when her attacker lay in wait for her outside the doors of the London university she was studying at.

Tanya had been a victim of domestic violence for a decade. “Society judges women for staying in abusive relationships,” she says to me and the Duchess. “But I don’t ever feel judged here. I feel I can be free. I feel I can be myself.”

Here is the Luminary Bakery, a small, grass roots organisation that helps to empower disadvantaged women through training and employment opportunities.
Continue reading Behind the scenes with Meghan Markle: Duchess tells Bryony Gordon how vulnerability is one of humanity’s greatest strengths

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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Will Take ‘Family Time’ Off and May Spend Thanksgiving in the U.S.
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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Will Take ‘Family Time’ Off and May Spend Thanksgiving in the U.S.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set to take about six weeks off towards the end of the year to spend some valuable “family time” together, a royal source confirmed to PEOPLE.

Royal time off!

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will take about six weeks off towards the end of the year to spend some valuable “family time” together amid their concerns that the intense scrutiny they’ve faced has been tough on the couple.

Meghan and Harry will spend the time between the U.K. and the U.S. with the likelihood that they could celebrate Thanksgiving in America.

“The duke and duchess have a full schedule of engagements and commitments until mid-November, after which they will be taking some much-needed family time,” a royal source has confirmed to PEOPLE.

Suggestions that the couple might make a move to Africa, where they recently embarked on a royal tour, have also been reignited, with Harry saying in a new documentary that Cape Town would be “an amazing place” for the couple and baby Archie to live.

“I don’t know where we could live in Africa at the moment. We’ve just come from Cape Town. That would be an amazing place to be able to base ourselves,” he says in Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, which debuts on ITV in the U.K. on Sunday.

The documentary also highlights some of the difficulties the new parents have faced in the last year.

“Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable, and so that was made really challenging. And then when you have a newborn, you know. And especially as a woman, it’s a lot,” Meghan says.

“So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed. It’s um …yeah. I guess, also thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I’m okay, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

Asked by ITV’s Tom Bradby if it “would be fair” to say that she’s “not really okay, as in it’s really been a struggle?” the duchess responds, “Yes.”

Harry also talks about the still raw emotions he feels about the death of his mother Princess Diana 22 years ago and his continuing feeling that press attention led to that .

“I think being part of this family — in this role, in this job — every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back,” he said. “In that respect, it’s the worst reminder of her life as oppose to the best.”

“Being here now 22 years later trying to finish what she started will be incredibly emotional. But everything that I do reminds me of her,” he continued. “But as I said — with the role, with the job and sort of the pressures that come with that — I get reminded of the bad stuff.”

In a statement released towards the end of their tour of Southern Africa, Harry, 35, said, “Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences – a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.”

For Harry, Africa is always going to be at the center of his, and Meghan’s, work. He tells the ITV documentary, “The rest of our lives, especially our life’s work, will be predominantly focused on Africa, on conservation . . . . there’s a lot of things to be done. There’s a lot of problems here, but a huge potential for solutions.”

Source: https://people.com

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