Queen Elizabeth II has finally broken her silence on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back from their official royal duties.
The royal family’s summit came to an end after a two-and-a-half-hour discussion in Sandringham on Monday.
“Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family,” the Queen said in a statement.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” she continued. “Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.“
“It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK. These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
The Queen then said, “Harry and Meghan have made it clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.“
According to PEOPLE the Queen ordered Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles to meet at her country home on Monday in order to “talk things through” with Meghan calling in from Canada.
Duchess participated via phone
It was likely the Duchess of Sussex would participate in the discussion on Monday via phone, as she recently returned to Vancouver Island, Canada, where she and Harry spent the holidays together with their son Archie.
Meghan and Harry’s decision left senior royals “hurt” and “deeply disappointed.”
The unprecedented family summit follows a series of emergency discussions across the last few days and raises the prospect that a solution is in sight that will work for the Sussexes and the royal family.
The meeting was the first time they had all been together since Remembrance Day weekend in November.