The summit senior British royals had Monday regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell decision to “step back” from their royal duties was "constructive," Queen Elizabeth II said.
The queen granted the couple's wish of a more financially independent life and is behind their wish to split their time between the U.K. and North America. The family met at the queen’s Sandringham estate, and Meghan video-conferenced in from Canada, according to reports.
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"My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family,'' the queen said in a statement. "Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.''
Many news sites had reported that the royal family was blindsided by Harry and Meghan’s announcement, which was posted last week to their Instagram.
The couple had reportedly only had preliminary conversations with the family about their decision before making the announcement.
Harry and Meghan also don’t plan on relying on any public funds in the future, the queen said. Together, Meghan and Harry are reportedly worth $30 million — her net worth is estimated to be about $5 million from her acting career, while his is estimated to be about $25 million. Meghan also just signed a deal with Disney to do voiceovers, according to reports.
"It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the U.K.," the statement also said. "These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days."
The couple didn't explicitly state their reasons for their decision, but their criticism of British media coverage has been no secret. They have sued three London tabloids, alleging copyright infringement, invasion of privacy and phone hacking.
A story ran in the Times of London saying that the couple was “pushed away” from the royal family by Prince William’s “bullying attitude.” William and Harry, however, released at joint statement saying those allegations are false.
"Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a U.K. newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge," the statement said. "For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful."
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