Meghan Markle ‘won’t be confined by protocol’ claims Levin
Meghan and Prince Harry appeared to disagree with the Queen on her view on balancing life outside the Royal Family with public duties, as they issued their statement in response to the monarch’s latest Megxit announcement. But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been chastised for attempting to carve out a new part-time working position for themselves within the Royal Family.
Australian conservative social and political commentator Andrew Bolton lashed out at the couple in the wake of the Queen’s decision to strip Meghan and Harry of their royal patronages.
He wrote in the Herald Sun: “This is the couple who claim on their website to represent ‘Compassion in Action’, yet last week – as Philip lay in hospital – attacked his wife for removing the last of their royal patronages after waiting vainly for a year for them to return to a ‘life of service’ to their nation.
“‘We can all live a life of service’, sniped the runaway royals, ‘service is universal’.
“Yet the service they offered Britain was an in-our-spare-moment kind that diminished the Royal Family and the notion of ‘duty’.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been criticised by an Australian commentator (Image: GETTY)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry now live in California (Image: GETTY)
Mr Bolt claimed Meghan and Harry’s “preferred ‘service'” includes “getting fabulously rich” and “feel-good preaching”.
He added: “That’s not service but self-service.”
Meghan and Prince Harry first announced their decision to “step back” as senior royals on January 8 last year, saying they wanted to carve out a “progressive new role” within the Royal Family.
READ MORE: Queen ‘wrote personal letter’ to Prince Harry before Megxit decision
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have signed a deal with Spotify late last year (Image: SPOTIFY)
But 10 days later, during a summit in Sandringham with Prince Charles, Harry and William, the Queen ruled against an half-in, half-out solution – which would have seen the Sussexes working on their own lucrative projects while also representing the Crown.
As a result, Meghan and Harry officially stepped down as full-time working royals in late March last year, losing their rights to carry out royal engagements and to use their HRH styles.
Following a 12-month review period, during which the pair remained in touch with their associations via calls and video link, the Queen also severed Meghan and Harry’s links with their remaining royal and military patronages.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have lost all their royal and military patronages (Image: GETTY)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are no longer full-time working royals (Image: GETTY)
A Buckingham Palace statement issued on Friday read: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.
“Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.
“The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
“While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got married in May 2018 (Image: EXPRESS)
In response, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.
“We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
Meghan and Harry’s statement showed the couple is “undoubtedly bitter” over the Queen’s decision, according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams.
He told the Daily Star: “They are undoubtedly bitter, they’re unhappy.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appeared to reply to the Queen’s statement on Friday saying ‘service is universal’ (Image: GETTY)
Since stepping down as senior royals, Meghan and Prince Harry struck two lucrative multi-year deals with Netflix and Spotify, which supported their intention of becoming independent from the Sovereign Grant.
But they have also worked with charities in the US supporting veterans and local communities hit by the pandemic and have remained in touch with several associations in the UK – including Meghan’s patronages Mayhew and Smart Works.
The pair also launched their new foundation, Archewell, through which they recently donated funds to support Genesis, a women’s shelter in Dallas devastated by the recent winter storm.
