Prince Harry to fly to Meghan Markle this week as pair ‘reunite at Vancouver mansion’ after Queen summit
PRINCE Harry is set to jet back across the Atlantic this week to be reunited with Meghan Markle after crunch talks with The Queen.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex got their way at the Royal Family’s crisis summit — but the Queen made it plain she is deeply upset they are quitting.
After the Sandringham talks, Her Majesty released a statement saying the couple will be allowed to step down from their duties and spend time in Canada.
But she said: “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.”
Harry flew back to the UK for the crisis summit while Meghan waited at the couple’s £14m Vancouver mansion during the talks.
The prince is expected to fly back to his wife and baby Archie this week at the plush Canadian pad where they spent their extended Christmas break – although a riddle over who actually owns it has deepened as a controversial mining tycoon denied it was his.
The news came as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his support to the Sussexes and said most Canadians would welcome the couple making the country their home.
Mr Trudeau said: “I think most Canadians are very supportive of having royals be here, but how that looks and what kind of costs are involved, there are still lots of discussions to have.
“There are still a lot of decisions to be taken by the royal family, by the Sussexes themselves, as to what level of engagement they choose to have.”
The couple will now go through a “period of transition” that will see them “create a new life as a young family” and spend time in both Canada and the UK.
Baby Archie remained at the mansion with mum Meghan while Harry returned to London
Harry is scheduled to host the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draws at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, which will be streamed live across the royal family and Rugby League World Cup 2021’s social media channels.
It’s understood he will rejoin Meghan and Archie in Canada after the engagement.
The Queen said she was “entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family”.
The summit, which took almost four hours, took place between the Queen, Prince Charles, and brothers William and Harry.
The fine detail of the agreement — especially the controversial issue of who will fund the couple’s new life — will be thrashed out over the next few days.
THE NEXT STEPS: What the royal summit means for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's future
The Queen made it clear she wanted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to remain ‘full-time members’ of the Royal Family.
However, the couple stuck to their guns during the crunch talks at Sandringham – insisting they wanted to live a more “independent life”.
This means they will spend time in Canada and the UK as they raise their son Archie.
During the summit at the Norfolk estate, they also insisted they would become financially independent – no longer relying on the public purse.
And while Her Majesty’s statement hinted at her sadness that Meghan and Harry would be moving on, the Royal Family can now work on the finer details over just what the couple’s new life will look like.
Royal aides are now expected to thrash out the finer details of just how the couple will create a “new life as a young family” together.
These discussions are likely to include whether the couple continue to use their HRH titles, and how they will keep their royal duties separate from their private work.
Other details to be discussed are expected to be how their security will be handled, and what, if anything, will happen to their patronages.
The 93-year-old monarch made it clear she wanted to see the “complex matters” to be reached as soon as possible.
A further announcement as to the couple’s future is expected to be revealed “in the coming days”.
In a deeply personal and sad statement, she said she was “entirely supportive” of their bid to “create a new life”.
But she emphasised that she — and the rest of the royals including Charles and William — wanted the couple to stay.
The monarch made clear her deep disappointment at their decision after yesterday’s Sandringham summit.
But the outcome is that “what Meghan wants, Meghan gets” — the line Harry infamously uttered in a row after the Duchess was stopped from wearing an emerald tiara at her wedding in May 2018.
In an unusually personal message signed off by Her Majesty, she said: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. 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.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.
“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.”
