Royal family reportedly seething after Meghan and Harry's shock announcement
Media outlets around the world play up a rift within the royal family; Amy Kellogg reports from London.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stunned the royal family when the couple announced on Wednesday they were stepping down as "senior members" and wanted to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Fox News at the time, "Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through."
But now a new report revealed meetings between Prince Harry, Markle, and the rest of the royal family about their "new progressive role" are "progressing well."
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According to BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell, The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge have all asked their staff to work with the Sussexes to "find a solution within days."
At first, though, the Queen was reportedly "disappointed" by her grandson's action. Neil Sean, a royal author, and broadcaster, told Fox News on Thursday that palace aides may not have been prepared for the unexpected announcement.
“The palace aides are working in conjunction with the queen,” he explained. “It’s not lost on anyone that they decided to launch this without the permission of the queen.”
In the meantime, Buckingham Palace confirmed Friday that Markle, 38, had returned to Canada, while Prince Harry, 35, remains in England.
The commonwealth country appears to hold a special place in their hearts. The couple and their 8-month-old son Archie spent a six-week holiday out of the public eye at a secluded luxury home on Vancouver Island.
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When they returned back from their hiatus, Prince Harry and Markle announced their decision on their verified Instagram account.
"We have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution," the couple shared. “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. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment."
"We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages," they continued. "This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity."
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"We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support," added the couple, who will reportedly keep their royal titles.
Fox News' Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
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