The monarchy crisis is almost over. Queen Elizabeth II had a "very constructive" talk with Prince Harry, Prince William, and Prince Charles as well as Meghan Markle over the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to step back as senior members of the royal family.
According to reports, the Queen and the rest of the family have agreed to let Harry and Meghan step down and divide their time between the United Kingdom and Canada. The Queen, however, said there will be a period of transition on the Sussexes' plan to split their time between the two countries.
In a Buckingham Palace statement, the monarch stressed that while she and her family would like Harry and Meghan to remain as full-time royals, the family understand and respect the couple's decision to live independently. The Queen also mentioned that the Sussexes also made it clear that they don't want to be dependent on taxpayers' money in their new lives but added that some "complex matters" would have to be resolved first to make this happen.
"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 statement ended.
The royal meeting was the first time the Queen, Charles, William, and Harry gathered together since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dropped a bombshell announcement about their plans. Reports indicated that Meghan joined the meeting via a phone call from Canada. The Duchess flew back to Canada to rejoin their eight-month-old son, Archie.
Last week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked not only the royal family but also the rest of the world when they launched their new website along with an announcement that they wish to step back as senior members of the royal family. The couple added that they would also work to become financially independent.
The sudden announcement, reportedly, hurt the members of the royal family, particularly the Queen as she wasn't consulted about the plan and caught off-guard of the announcement. This also sparked speculations whether or not Harry's rift with his older brother, Prince William, has provoked the couple to come up with such a decision.
Prior to the so-called "Royal Showdown," William and Harry released a joint statement denying reports that the alleged "bullying attitude" of the Duke of Cambridge caused the split in the family. The Times reported that Harry and Meghan felt they were "pushed away" by William's "bullying attitude." It also suggested that Princess Diana's sons had a falling out because William wasn't friendly towards his brother's wife.
