Queen Elizabeth II Breaks Her Silence On Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Move To North America

Buckingham Palace released a statement that Duchess Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were only in the 'early stages' of moving to North America, referring to the situation as 'complicated.'

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January 8, 2020 4:24PM EST
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Queen Elizabeth II and Buckingham palace have spoken. The monarch released a statement, by way of the palace on Jan. 8, sharing a rather different angle than the jovial news Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle had shared. The official Royal Communications statement sent out read, “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 we will take time to work through.”

The statement comes mere moments after Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan announced their thrilling excitement that they would be taking a step back from their Royal duties and moving to North America. “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple began in a statement shared by the official Sussex Royal Instagram account on January 8. “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.” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex went on to explain that their decision has been years in the making.

Over the past few years, both Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have endured a lot of scrutiny — especially the Duchess of Sussex. While Prince Harry has grown up in the public eye, Duchess Meghan stepped onto the world’s stage upon the couple’s engagement and subsequent wedding on May 19, 2018. A year after their wedding, the couple welcomed their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor to the world and returned to royal duties, including their first tour to Africa as a family.

But amid the exciting occasions and trips, Duchess Meghan has dealt with the scrutiny of British tabloids and media. In October, she opened up about the treatment she’s dealt with in an emotional interview during ITV’s documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. “I very naively — I’m an American we don’t have that there — said, ‘What are you talking about? That doesn’t make any sense! I’m not in tabloids!’ I didn’t get it.”

Since the royal couple and their infant son have adjusted to their roles, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have tried to find ways to make their commitment to the royal famiily work while maintaining their own lives, as well. The couple spent the Christmas holidays in Canada this year, where they practically lived “like locals. People gave them privacy. No one was bothering them but they definitely made a good impression — everyone’s still talking about it,” a source shared with HollywoodLife, EXCLUSIVELY. Perhaps the change in scenery did more than just offer Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan a breather from their royal duties. It may have contributed to their decision. But as avid royalists know, this saga is merely in its first chapters.