Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have announced they’ve decided to transition to a more private, independent life.
The couple made the announcement on their Instagram account saying, “...we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
The royal couple said they will split time between the U.K. and North America, they said in the statement.
They added that the move to split time between Europe and North America will allow them to give their family a chance to focus but also allow them to give Archie “an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born,” NBC News reported.
They will also be starting a new charity in the new year, the couple announced.
Prince Harry and Meghan recently returned from a weekslong break from the royal spotlight. They returned to official duties, Tuesday, to thank Canada for hosting their time away, People magazine reported.
The couple has been vocal about the difficulty they’ve experienced while under the lens of the media, including appearing on a documentary for ITV, the BBC reported.
Meghan even took the step to sue a newspaper over the publishing of private letters in October, according to the BBC.
The BBC reported the other members of the Royal Family may have not been consulted about the decision made by Harry and Meghan.
Harpers Bazaar reported Buckingham Palace said the discussions with the Duke and Duchess are at “an early stage.”