‘Megxit’ with Prince Harry, Megan Markle & Baby Archie

In early January, it was announced that Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, would step down from their positions of the British Royal Family and move their lives to Canada! Prior to becoming the Duchess, Megan was an actress in Hollywood, who had previously appeared on the TV show Suits and movies like Anti-Social, Horrible Bosses, and Dysfunctional Friends. She met Harry on a blind date that a mutual friend set up and the couple was engaged a little over a year later. Since their marriage, they have been in and out of the news for various reasons: Megan’s fashion, their pregnancy announcement, their charity work, and most recently, their decision to take a step back from the Royal Family. On January 8, 2020, the couple posted a picture on their instagram with the following caption:

“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.” - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

There were some people who were excited about their decision, but most people were shocked and confused as to why they would leave the exciting and plush life of being members of the Royal Family. There is a lot of speculation that part of the reason why they are stepping back is because they are sick and tired of dealing with the press. Prince Harry has responded to the British tabloids multiple times about being rude to his wife, mentioning "I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditized to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces." If you remember, his mom, Princess Diana died in a car accident while trying to escape the paparazzi in 1997. All aspects of Megan’s life have been ridiculed, including her estranged relationship with her father, Thomas Markle.

In my opinion, I understand why Megan and Prince Harry would want to leave the Royal family, especially Megan. She is used to an upbeat and carefree Hollywood lifestyle. Adjusting to the strict and hundreds of years old rules were probably tiring and causing strife in their marriage. Their son, Prince Archie, deserves to have a break from the media and have his parents’ undivided attention.