Meghan Markle and Harry: Expert discusses couple’s patronages
Last week, it was announced by Buckingham Palace that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not be coming back to the Royal Family and would therefore be stripped of their military appointments and royal patronages. The Sussexes quickly released a statement, insisting they would continue to support the organisations in an unofficial capacity. They also hit back at the Palace’s comment that it was not possible for them to “continue with their responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service”, insisting that “service is universal”.
It is believed that Harry is particularly disappointed about losing his military appointments, as he has a strong connection to the Armed Forces.
However, a royal expert has pointed out that the couple would have struggled to give their patronages the attention they need from their home in LA.
Pod Save the Queen is hosted by Ann Gripper and features Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers.
Mr Myers argued that, while most patronages only get a handful of royal visits, there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have lost their royal patronages (Image: GETTY)
Prince Harry reportedly did not want to give up his military appointments (Image: GETTY)
This work needs to be in the royal bubble with Palace aides and courtiers to work on it, so it would have been challenging for the Sussexes to keep up outside of that structure.
Meghan was the patron of the National Theatre, but the arts, which have been desecrated with coronavirus, would need real attention right now, with their patron working hard on it, which Meghan would not have been able to do from LA, he claimed.
Mr Myers said: “What really have they lost out on? Harry has missed out on his military titles and associations.
“Is Meghan that bothered about losing the patronages? I’m not sure she is.
Meghan Markle visiting the National Theatre in 2019 (Image: GETTY)
“Because if she’s a patron of the National Theatre, well arguably that needs some real attention and focus, not only for that organisation but for the grassroots aspects of the arts in this country, which have been desecrated due to coronavirus.
“That is arguably a full-time job, someone needs to be really, really promoting that and you can’t really do that from LA.
“So, if that was the decision they’ve taken then they should have just walked away from them rather than saying ‘we want it all and we want to carry on these associations and we might be back in a few months or we might be back next year’ – it doesn’t’ really work like that.
“And regardless of whether there are a handful of royal events with a patronage, I do think there is a lot of work behind the scenes and that needs to be in the royal bubble.
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The National Theatre has Meghan as its royal patron (Image: GETTY)
“That needs to have Palace aides and courtiers working on it with those associations and putting ideas in front of the relevant member of the Royal Family who has that patronage.
“And that just wouldn’t have worked and I have to agree this was a huge, huge missed opportunity for the Sussexes and just came across as rather sad, I thought.”
Today, an interview with Prince Harry was released by The Late, Late Show, a US chat show hosted by James Corden, famous for his Carpool Karaoke.
In the interview, Harry vowed to “never walk away” from public service and insisted he was never stepping down from being a member of the Royal Family, merely “stepping back”.
Prince Harry losing patronages was ‘always coming’ says expert
hese comments echoed his and Meghan’s statement in response to the Palace announcement last week.
He also took the opportunity to criticise the press again, and called the environment “toxic”.
The Duke said: “It was never walking away, it was stepping back rather than stepping down.
“It was a really difficult environment as I think a lot of people saw.
Prince Harry and James Corden in their new interview with The Late Late Show (Image: GETTY)
“We all know what the British press can be like. And it was destroying my mental health. It was like… ‘this is toxic’.”
He added: “As far as I am concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away. I will always be contributing.
“My life is public service, so wherever I am in the world, It’s going to be the same thing.”
