Harry and Meghan Are Stepping Away from Royal Duties. Fans Give Them Advice.

Cortney O'Brien | January 09, 2020 11:00 AM

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle surprised the globe on Wednesday by announcing they are stepping back from their duties as senior members of the British royal family. In a joint statement, the couple revealed that they will instead be balancing their time between North America and the United Kingdom and launching their own charity organization.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan confirm that they are stepping back as senior members of the royal family and will divide their time between the UK and North America. Full statement: pic.twitter.com/D2iAs71rWc
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) January 8, 2020

For the pair to be financially independent, they will have to surrender funding from the Queen's Sovereign Grant, the BBC explains.

The couple had been living in Canada for the past six weeks, fueling speculation about a rift with the Crown.

The statement itself was surprising. But if you were completely shocked, you haven't really been paying attention to all the royal drama. Since Markle married Prince Harry in May 2018, she has been subject to a brutal media onslaught, most of which has been negative. Countless reports have suggested that she's an aggressive brat and that, time and again, she's shown little respect for royal traditions. Her strained relationship with her father has also been perfect fodder for entertainment analysts and other talking heads.

It only got worse when the pair had their son, Archie. In an interview for an ITV documentary last year, Markle got candid about the stress she'd been under in the spotlight as a new mother.

"Not many people have asked if I'm OK," she said.

As the news spread about the couple's decision to distance themselves from royal duties, fans of Harry and Meghan created trends called "#megexit" or "#Megxit" and congratulated the couple for focusing on their mental health. They also suggested other avenues for the young pair.