Prince Harry and Meghan to step back from senior royal duties

Muscat: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced that they will step back as "senior" royals and work to become financially independent.

This was announced via official Instagram handle of Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex on Wednesday, January 9, 2020.

In their unexpected statement posted on their Instagram page, the couple said they made the decision "after many months of reflection and internal discussions".

“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. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment,” the statement by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex read.

They continued saying that they plan to balance their time between the United Kingdom and North America while “continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity,” the statement added.

In this response, a statement was issued by the Buckingham Palace saying that discussions with the Duke and Duchess are at an early stage.

"We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through," the stamen read.