A New Path for the Duke & Duchess of Sussex

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the British Royal Family. I’ve spent many happy hours scrolling through the various outfits Meghan and Kate have worn over the years and will endlessly discuss the latest scandals and successes of the royals.

Celebratory tea on the day of Harry & Meghan’s wedding

When Harry and Meghan announced that they would be taking some time off over the holidays to spend some time in North America as a new family, I was delighted for them (albeit a little sad for me because we wouldn’t be seeing much of them)! I appreciate the new approach they’ve been taking to being a royal and watch each step they’ve taken in a new direction with interest. American-style Christmas cards? Sign me up! Talking about your feelings in an interview? Good for you!

But now that Harry and Meghan have decided to step down from their positions as senior royals, I’m having So Many Thoughts, as Elizabeth Holmes (@eholmes on Instagram) would say. The announcement today stopped me in my tracks because, while I imagined Harry and Meghan would be taking a step back from the spotlight in some capacity at some point in time, I did not see it coming so soon and with such a definitive statement.

Overall, with the little information we do have, I remain conflicted. If it’s true that the Queen and the rest of the senior royals weren’t consulted before this statement was issued, I don’t think the way this choice was presented was beneficial to the family as a whole, including Harry and Meghan. As the Queen herself admitted, it’s a “bumpy” time for the monarchy in light of Prince Andrew’s unforgivable behavior and the apparent tension between William and Harry. To further “break up” the family complicates matters and doesn’t seem to be in service of Her Majesty.

As more news and statements are revealed, I’ll be very curious to see how it plays out for Harry and Meghan. I truly hope that the Queen doesn’t see this as H&M “going too far” as some royal watchers have termed it. If anything, I hope their step back enables the rift between Harry and William to mend and for the Sussexes to continue to experiment with media in new and interesting ways. I’m a sucker for a good social campaign.

Aside from the potential issues created for the royals, I truly am happy for Meghan and Harry and the decision they’ve made to put their family first. I am totally for setting healthy boundaries in your life, and if the Sussexes are suffering from the intense public scrutiny, I applaud them for putting their well being first. I hope we get to see a happy and healthy Meghan and Harry moving forward and potentially even get more opportunities for Sussex sightings!

I’d love to hear your respectful thoughts in the comments below!