Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially stepping down from their royal duties

They made a statement this evening.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially stepping down from royal duties. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a statement on social media this evening, saying that they have made the decision "after many months of reflection and internal discussions." They also said that they will be working towards being "financially independent." The official statement reads:

“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. "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. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, 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. "We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support."

Harry and Meghan visited the Canadian Embassy in London this week to thank them after visiting the country over the Christmas holidays. The end of the post asks their followers to visit the Sussex Royal website for more information on their decision.