PA ImagesAs the nation continues to gossip about the royal family shake up, Prince Harry is going to have to give up something seriously close to his heart.
Since announcing their decision to leave earlier this month, Harry and Meghan have been working with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William to determine the terms of their leaving.
The couple will officially give up their roles as working members of the royal family from spring, meaning they will no longer represent the Queen or hold their HRH status.
As part of the deal, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will lose their appointments as Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors and will no longer receive public funds for their work. They will also return the Sovereign Grant funds, which were used to refurbish their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage.
A statement from Buckingham Palace explained:
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments.
PAPrince Harry is being forced to sever his official ties to the military as part of the deal which will allow himself and Meghan Markle to leave the royal family.
The loss of Harry’s official military appointments will likely be one of the most poignant and personal for the prince, who spent 10 years in the Army. The appointments include Captain General of Marines, Honorary Air Commandant Royal Air Force Honington, and Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving.
Harry was handed his highest profile military title, Captain General of the Royal Marines, by the Queen in 2017. The role will go to someone else after Harry steps down as a ‘senior’ royal.
The Queen is head of the Armed Forces, and military appointments form part of official duties. As a result, Harry could not continue them after leaving his role in the royal family.
PA ImagesLord West, the Former First Sea Lord, expressed regret after learning Harry would step down from his military appointments, ITV News reports.
He commented:
The whole situation is extremely sad and I think it is unfortunate, after his splendid service in the military, that he will now no longer be involved with the military in the UK.
PAA statement from the Queen addressed Harry and Meghan warmly and said the family had managed to find a ‘constructive and supportive way forward’ for the couple.
It read:
Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.
I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.
During his time in the Army, Harry embarked on two operational tours of Afghanistan and qualified as an Apache helicopter commander. He continued to show passion for the military while working as a royal by founding the Invictus Games, a competition for injured and sick Armed Forces personnel and veterans.
Harry left the Army in 2015 but vowed to always maintain his links with his fellow servicemen and women.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.