Queen Elizabeth II has finally addressed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to leave their senior roles within the royal family, in her own words.
In a rare personal statement on Monday, the monarch said she was "entirely supportive" of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision and confirmed that they would divide their time between the UK and Canada.
"Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family," she said in the statement, obtained by Insider.
"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," she said.
It was an unusual statement for the Queen, as official statements from Buckingham Palace tend to come from a representative rather than directly from the monarch. These statements also usually refer to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by their official titles rather than their first names.
The Queen added that "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," she said.
The Duchess of Sussex is reportedly already back in Canada with baby Archie after spending six weeks there as a family over the holidays.
According to the Mirror, the duchess dialed in to the meeting from Canada, while Harry joined the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Queen at her Sandringham Estate.
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