Prince Harry and Meghan Markle now completed their final royal engagements before they officially step down as senior royals on March 31. However, their departure reportedly left their staff in tears, while the Duchess of Sussex's solo royal duty is said to be a "bittersweet farewell" to the U.K.
The former actress is now back in Canada to reunite with their 10-month-old son, Archie Harrison. Her husband, on the other hand, reportedly stays in the U.K. to fix his future royal engagements but is expected to follow his wife to begin their new lives as private citizens and be financially independent.
Now that they will officially leave the monarchy, royal expert Omid Scobie revealed that Meghan Markle's solo royal engagement turned to be a bittersweet one. He wrote in Harper's Bazaar that despite the "pain and difficulties," the former Suits star managed to put on a brave face to meet 22 scholarship students from the Association of Commonwealth Universities at Buckingham Palace.
Last year, Meghan Markle was made as a royal patron of the ACU. Although she is set to step down as a senior royal at the end of the month, she is expected to keep the organization as a priority and maintain her position as the Vice President of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
The 22 ACU students' scholarships reportedly resonate with Meghan Markle, as she also attended Illinois Northwestern University on a scholarship. In a post on Sussex Royal's Instagram account, it revealed that before she became a member of the royal family, she was also supported by a scholarship to finish her studies in international relations. Hence, it is no wonder that she strongly advocates for "accessible education for all."
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's staff couldn't help but cry when the couple threw a lunch for them before they step back from their royal duties. A source told Page Six that it has been a common practice for the Sussexes to do fun things for their people, like throwing pizza parties or hiring ice cream trucks. Now, the insider added that they wanted to do something special for them, especially that it would be their last week together.
"They toasted the team and thanked them for everything they have done," the tipster said. "Some of the staffers cried."
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and the rest of their staff have been through a lot together. These people have been working around the clock to make sure that their final royal engagements will be as seamless as possible. So, they really wanted to show their gratitude and appreciation for them.
