Meghan Markle Refused Queen Elizabeth's Offer To Freely Live With Royal Titles 18 Months After Quitting Royal Life
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are now in Canada to begin their new lives after they step down from their royal duties. Although their decision doesn't come as a big surprise, news emerged that Queen Elizabeth II once offered them not to have royal titles before they got married in 2018.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, pose for a picture at in London, Britain June 26, 2018. (Photo: John Stillwell/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)
Her Majesty gave the Sussexes the freedom to live without royal titles so that she could continue her acting career. However, the Duchess of Sussex herself reportedly refused the offer, Express reported.
A source said that Queen Elizabeth wanted to make sure that Meghan Markle would have a smooth transition before their wedding took place. However, the former actress was allegedly more than "happy to stop acting and become a working member of the royal family."
After announcing their engagement, Meghan Markle told Sky News that giving up her career was like a change and a new chapter of her life. She added that she had been working for Suits for seven years, and although she was proud of the work she had done, it was the right time for her to work as a team with Prince Harry.
However, 18 months after their wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their decision to step back from their royal duties. An insider revealed that royal officials felt frustrated that they appeared to be saying that "they were pressured into quitting royal life" after Queen Elizabeth gave them the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex following their marriage.
After a week of crisis talks, the Firm managed to work out roles for the couple after their resignation. Daily Mail Online reported that Buckingham Palace already announced that from the spring, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would stop using their HRH tiles and withdraw from royal duties, including official military appointments. However, they were allowed to retain their private patronages and associations.
Despite announcing their intention to "carve out a progressive new role within the institution," Queen Elizabeth refused to allow them to become "financially independent part-time royals." They now formally step back from the royal family and will not be funded by taxpayer money.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now staying in a Vancouver Island bolthole with their son, baby Archie. There are reports that they are currently looking for a permanent home in North America, while Meghan is said to be eying a £21-million waterfront mansion in Canada.
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