On Wednesday morning, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle AKA The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would be stepping back as “‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent.”
The pair added that they would be balancing their time between the U.K. and the U.S., partly so that their son Archie Harrison Mounbatten-Windsor will have “an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born,” and also to give the family “the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
Meghan especially has faced a lot of trolls, racism, and unfair criticism as the Duchess of Sussex. She has said in interviews that while her British friends warned her that the tabloids would “destroy” her life, she was unprepared for the extent of the harassment.
The pair has gone so far as to sue several tabloids over allegedly hacking Meghan’s phone and publishing private letters between the Duchess and her estranged family members, and Harry has multiple times blamed the press for trying to do to Meghan what they did to his mother, Princess Diana.
“There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives,” he said of the bullying tabloids. “Put simply, it is bullying, which scares and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t and can’t believe in a world where there is no accountability for this.”
“My deepest fear is history repeating itself,” Harry added. “I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”
All of this is to say, WE STAN.
1.
[clears throat for a full minute] megxit https://t.co/o2mgmY2NQ4
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) January 8, 2020
2.
Harry & Meghan writing that IG post like pic.twitter.com/y8DHncjD8F
— Christina Grace (@C_GraceT) January 8, 2020
3.
meghan markle said y’all don’t own me https://t.co/y0DCD4Wj1w
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) January 8, 2020
4.
royal reporters now wondering how they’re going to pay their bills without Harry & Meghan in that family pic.twitter.com/r01tBNYZgz
— the duchess (@MarkleDuchess) January 8, 2020
5.
Princess Diana in heaven watching the Queen read the Harry & Meghan news
— Eliza (@elizardd) January 8, 2020
6.
Cast Meghan in the next season of SUCCESSION
— Lauren Collins (@laurenzcollins) January 8, 2020
7.
I don’t keep up with “the royals” or care that much, but something about Harry & Meghan being like “we out” is really enjoyable.
I’ve seen people treat them like shit just for being together, and watching them be like “ya we’re done with this and going to canada” is amazing.— Jesse Cox (@JesseCox) January 8, 2020
8.
Meghan overthrew the monarchy in less than 2 years, nothing but respect for my independent Queen of England https://t.co/umDSLFNpF7
— JOE (@JXEKER) January 8, 2020
9.
Meghan & Harry to the Royal Family: pic.twitter.com/QqXtiVWADu
— Tia Mitchell (@TIAreports) January 8, 2020
10.
Omg so Harry & Meghan didn’t even get permission, they just ghosted! This tea is delicious. Darjeeling. #megxit pic.twitter.com/5bu38RkRzn
— Camilla Blackett (@camillard) January 8, 2020