MINISTERS have backed Buckingham Palace this morning over Harry and Meghan’s split with the Royal family – but warned that the Prince will likely still be funded by the taxpayer in future.
Last night the top Royals shocked the country with their announcement they were stepping back from their Royal duties and would spend more time in North America – as revealed by HOAR 24 hours earlier.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement later saying the discussions with the Duke, 34, and Duchess, 38, about splitting themselves off would be “complicated.”
A Palace spokeswoman said talks were at an early stage, adding: We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.
This morning Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick echoed the Palace’s statement, saying there were “issues to work through”.
Mr Jenrick told LBC Radio: “These are decisions that they will need to take.
“Buckingham Palace issued a statement which said, and I think this is right, that clearly the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex raises a range of quite complex questions around their future rule, security, housing and so on.
“These are issues now Her Majesty, the Queen, the Royal Household, will now need to work through.”
And he said that the Royals would likely continue to be funded by the taxpayer in future, saying there are “long-standing rules and guidelines” around the funding of the family.
Prince Harry and Meghan could continue to get funded from his father, Prince Charles’ estate in future.
The couple say they will be “financially independent” as they “carve out a progressive new role”, but will still support the Queen.
They said: “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.”
It comes after HOAR revealedthey were due to discuss plans to move abroad, and Meghan todayvisited The National’s Dorfman Theatre in London.
The couple had reportedly told close friends they want to spend some of the next two months working out of Canada aftera six-week trial holiday over Christmas and New Yearwas deemed highly successful.
Friends of the couple in Canada and the US are supportive of the move, which they say comes after the couple have been sidelined by the monarchy.
