Published 19:42 IST, March 9th 2020
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle join Queen for church service before royal exit
As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are wrapping the last engagements before stepping back as senior royals, the couple joined Queen Elizabeth for church service.
As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are wrapping the last engagements before stepping back as senior royals, the couple reportedly joined Queen Elizabeth for a church service in Windsor. The service on March 8 was also the first time Meghan Markle and the Queen met face-to-face since the big announcement in January. According to international media reports, as the couple pulled in to The Royal Chapel of All Saints, the couple was also seen smiling.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan had reportedly returned to the United Kingdom last week for a 'farewell tour'. As per reports, during the tour, the couple will be making their last public appearance as 'senior royals' before their exit which takes effect on March 31. The couple has currently settled into a seaside home near the most royal of Canadian cities, Victoria, British Columbia. The pair is also set to attend the last family gathering on March 9.
Harry and Meghan will attend the Commonwealth Service at London’s Westminster Abbey where Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and wife Kate, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will be in attendance for the first time after the couple announced their exit from the Royal family. The couple recently also attended the Mountbatten Festival of Music where they sat in the royal box. At the event, they even received a long round of applause and a standing ovation from the audience.
Assistance to cease
On January 8, Meghan and Harry announced that they were stepping back as senior royals and will move to North America with their son Archie to live a financially independent life. The royals are currently living in Canada as they prepare to drop their titles and quit monarchy.
Meanwhile, the federal government has also confirmed on February 27 that Canada will soon stop providing security for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to international media reports, it was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) that has been providing assistance to the couple since their arrival in Canada “intermittently since November 2019”. After March 31, the couple will no longer carry out duties on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. However, these arrangements will be reportedly reviewed after 12 months.
Updated 19:49 IST, March 9th 2020