Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry, has returned to Canada, Buckingham Palace said yesterday amid fierce media criticism of the couple’s plans to step back from their royal duties.
Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, announced on Wednesday that they will seek a lower profile, build financial independence and divide their time between Britain and North America as they “carve out a progressive new role”.
The couple said they plan to restrict media access and withdraw from a rota system for media coverage of the royal family.
The surprise announcement came after they had denounced intrusive and inaccurate media reporting, as well as the vitriol directed toward them on social media, including racist attacks against US-born Meghan, whose mother is black.
Buckingham Palace said discussions were ongoing with the couple, while the BBC quoted palace sources as saying Harry and Meghan did not consult Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, or other senior royals before making their announcement.
Harry and Meghan returned earlier this week from a six-week break in Canada, a member of the Commonwealth, with their eight-month-old son Archie.
Former actress Meghan had lived in Toronto while filing the popular television drama Suits.
She became close to the leading political families of former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney and current premier Justin Trudeau.
The couple’s lavish royal wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018 was attended by several of Meghan’s Suits co-stars and celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and George and Amal Clooney.
Source:gulf-times.com
