Queen agrees on 'transition'; lets Harry & Meghan move part-time to Canada

Queen Elizabeth II said on Monday that she has agreed to grant Prince Harry and Meghan ir wish for a more independent life that will see m move part-time to Canada. British monarch said that “today my family had very constructive discussions on future of my grandson and his family.

She said it had been “agreed that re will be a period of transition in which Sussexes will spend time in Canada and UK.” Harry and Meghan are also kwn as Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “se are complex matters for my family to resolve, and re is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in coming days,” queen said. In a six-sentence statement that mentioned word “family” six times, queen said that “though we would have preferred m to remain full-time working Members of Royal Family, we respect and understand ir wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”

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Princes William and Harry slammed a newspaper report Monday describing a severe strain in ir relationship, calling story offensive and potentially harmful as y embark on talks regarding future of British monarchy. two brors issued unusual statement even as Queen Elizabeth II was set to hold face-to-face talks with Prince Harry for first time since he and his wife, Meghan, unveiled ir controversial plan to walk away from royal roles. dramatic family summit is meant to chart a future course for couple. 

Though statement did t name newspaper, Times of London has a front p story about crisis in which a source alleged that Harry and Meghan had been pushed away by “bullying attitude from” William. joint statement insisted that story was “false.″ “For brors who care so deeply about issues surrounding mental health, use of inflammatory langu in this way is offensive and potentially harmful,” statement said.

Harry-Meghan decision to "step-back"

meeting reflects Queen’s desire to contain fallout from Harry and Meghan’s decision to “step back” as senior royals, work to become financially independent and split ir time between Britain and rth America. couple, also kwn as Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made anuncement Wednesday without telling queen or or senior royals first. meeting at monarch’s private Sandringham estate in eastern England included Harry’s far Prince Charles and his bror Prince William. It comes after days of intense news cover, in which supporters of royal family’s feuding factions used British media to paint conflicting pictures of who was to blame for rift.

William is expected to travel to Sandringham from London and Harry from his home in Windsor, west of British capital. Charles has flown back from Gulf nation of Oman, where he attended a condolence ceremony on Sunday following death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Meghan, who is in Canada with couple’s baby son Archie, is likely to join meeting by phone.

Buckingham Palace said “a range of possibilities” would be discussed, but queen was determined to resolve situation within “days, t weeks.” goal was to agree on next steps at Monday’s garing, which follows days of talks among royal courtiers and officials from U.K. and Canada. Buckingham Palace stressed, however, that “any decision will take time to be implemented.”

One of more fraught questions that needs to be worked out is precisely what it means for a royal to be financially independent and what activities can be undertaken to make money. Or royals who have ventured into world of commerce have found it complicated. Prince Andrew, for example, has faced heated questions about his relationship with late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew, queen’s second son, has relinquished royal duties and patrons after being accused by a woman who says she was an Epstein trafficking victim who slept with prince.

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Duke and Duchess of Sussex also face questions on paying for taxpayer-funded security. Home Secretary Priti Patel refused to comment, but said safety was a priority. “I’m t going to provide any detailed information on security arrangements for eir m or any members of royal family or for any protected individuals — that’s thoroughly inappropriate for me to do so,” she told BBC. “At this moment in time, right w, royal family mselves need some time and for m to work through current issues that y’re dealing with.”

meeting will comes amid days of days of discussions about future of monarchy following surprise anuncement. Though senior royals were said to be hurt over t being told in advance of statement’s release, Harry and Meghan’s friends have told Britain’s media that couple were being pushed aside because of desire of Windsors to concentrate on core of royal family and focus on those in line of succession — Prince Charles, William and William’s son George.

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