Arise the ‘magnificent seven’: Queen looks to senior royals to re-start public engagements as soon as is permitted after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stripped of patronages
- Her Majesty is keen for senior royals to begin engagements as soon as possible
- Working members of the Firm tasked with putting on ‘united front’ for monarchy
- Comes after announcement Sussexes would be permanently quitting the Firm
- Decision to remove remaining honorary roles given to the Sussexes came Friday
The Queen wants a ‘new beginning’ for the royal family after the dramatic announcement this week that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are permanently quitting the Firm.
Following the decision that the Sussexes’ new commercial careers in the US means they have been stripped of their patronages, the monarch is keen for all senior royals to begin public engagements as soon as is permitted.
Branded the ‘magnificent seven’ by palace officials, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne and Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex have been tasked with putting on a ‘united front’ for the monarchy.
The Queen wants a ‘new beginning’ for the royal family after she announced that Harry and Meghan would be permanently quitting the Firm. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speaking to students from Kensington Palace on February 9th
The monarch is keen for all senior royals to begin engagements as soon as possible. Pictured, Prince Charles and Camilla ahead of meeting with front line health and care workers administering the Covid jab in Birmingham last week
Her Majesty wants to wipe the slate clean following the couple’s departure from the royal family and considers the saga finished with, sources told the Mirror.
The final decision to remove remaining honorary roles given to the Sussexes by the Queen came on Friday, when Her Majesty suggested a ‘life of public service’ is not compatible with the couple’s lucrative new career in America.
The statement from Buckingham Palace, which came a month before their Megxit arrangement was up for review, said the monarch was ‘saddened’ by the choice and that the pair would remain ‘much loved members of the family’.
This was swiftly followed by the Sussexes issuing their own parting statement, just minutes later, in which they declared that: ‘We can all live a life of service. Service is universal’.
In addition to his military roles, Harry has had to relinquish his presidency of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, as well as the role of patron at the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League and the London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Her Majesty wants to wipe the slate clean following the couple’s departure from the royal family. Pictured, Princess Anne during her visit to Salisbury Cathedral
Branded the ‘magnificent seven’ by palace officials, the current working senior royals including Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex, pictured visiting a London farm last year, to begin engagements as soon as possible
Harry and Meghan used a black-and-white photograph of them lying on the grass at their £11million California home to reveal Meghan was pregnant earlier this month
Meghan will lose the two royal patronages handed to her by the Queen in 2019; the Royal National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. Meghan must also give up her role as vice-president of the Commonwealth Trust.
The decision comes after a tumultuous week for the royal family, with Harry and Meghan announcing plans to take part in a bombshell TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The couple reportedly did not inform Her Majesty in advance that they were planning to participate in the 90-minute special, where they will discuss why they dramatically stepped down as senior royals last year.
Her Majesty was ‘blindsided’ last week when it emerged that the Duchess of Sussex and her husband had agreed to talk to the American chat show host.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not tell Her Majesty about their tell-all interview. Pictured, Meghan, Harry and the Queen at an awards ceremony at Buckingham Palace on June 26, 2018
CBS has described the interview as an ‘intimate conversation’ including ‘a wide-ranging interview’ with Meghan, about ‘everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure’.
Oprah’s best friend Gayle King has told the presenter has been given complete freedom over what topics she discusses with the couple, which aids told The Sun will make ‘pure gold’ when it airs next month.
Sources revealed Winfrey spent two days interviewing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Wednesday and Thursday before their parting shot at Buckingham Palace – and ‘gained a unique insight into the rift’.
The chat show host prepared for the interview at her home in Hawaii before flying into California, where she also owns a second property in Montecito a short drive from the couple, on her £50million private jet.
Only a few days before announcing their bombshell interview, Harry and Meghan used a black-and-white photograph of them lying on the grass at their £11million California home to reveal Meghan was pregnant.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are likely to discuss why they dramatically stepped down as senior royals during the 90-minute special. Pictured, Oprah Winfrey is pictured at Harry and Meghan’s Windsor Castle wedding on May 19, 2018
Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey, pictured together on CBS in April 2019, are best friends. Gayle told CBS This Morning yesterday: ‘I’m told that nothing is off limits. She can ask anything she wants’
Meanwhile, Harry’s grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh was today spending a sixth day in hospital for ‘observation and rest’ after being admitted earlier this week after feeling unwell.
Philip was described as being in ‘good spirits’ after he walked unaided into King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday evening, on the advice of his doctor.
The Palace reiterated to MailOnline today the statement made about the Duke’s health last week, saying the 99-year-old is likely to stay in hospital into next week, adding that all decisions have been taken with ‘an abundance of caution’.
The duke is understood to have been aware the announcement on Harry and Meghan was due to be released. Royal author Penny Junor said of Philip: ‘We do all know he doesn’t like fuss, and he would regard a visit as fuss.’
She said she did not know the reason for the visit, but added: ‘Momentous things are happening in the family at the moment and I suppose it’s perfectly possible that Charles wanted to go and talk to his father and reassure him about Harry.’
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