London: Prince Harry has said he and his wife Meghan Markle had ‘really no other option’ but to step back as senior royals after ‘many years of challenges’, even as he expressed ‘great sadness’ after being stripped of their royal titles.
In his first personal statement Sunday night after a formal split from the royal family was finalised by Queen Elizabeth II over the weekend, the 35-year-old Duke of Sussex said when he and his American actress wife were married they were ‘excited’ and ‘hopeful’.
Harry spoke of his ‘great sadness’ at a decision which he said was not taken lightly and that the UK would always be his home even as the couple divides their time between Canada and Britain.
“The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly,” the Prince said in a speech at a dinner event for charity ‘Sentebale’, co-founded by him in 2006 to support those affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana in southern Africa.
“It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven’t always got it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option. What I want to make clear is we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you,” Harry asserted.
In a visibly heartfelt message, Harry said he wanted to share ‘the truth’ about the revelations of the last few weeks, insisting that he was still the same old Harry they have known ‘but with a clearer perspective’.
Harry and Meghan, 38, had announced plans earlier this month to step back from the royal frontline and spend more time in North America.
“I was born into this life, and it is a great honour to serve my country and the Queen… It has been our privilege to serve you, and we will continue to lead a life of service,” Harry told the gathering.
UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change. I have grown up feeling support from so many of you, and I watched as you welcomed Meghan with open arms as you saw me find the love and happiness that I had hoped for all my life. I also know you’ve come to know me well enough over all these years to trust that the woman I chose as my wife upholds the same values as I do.
“We both do everything we can to fly the flag and carry out our roles for this country with pride. Once Meghan and I were married, we were excited, we were hopeful, and we were here to serve. For those reasons, it brings me great sadness that it has come to this,” he added.
Harry, referring to the tragic death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 in a car crash in Paris, said: “When I lost my mum 23 years ago, you took me under your wing. You’ve looked out for me for so long, but the media is a powerful force, and my hope is one day our collective support for each other can be more powerful because this is so much bigger than just us.”
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is already in Vancouver Island in Canada with the couple’s eight-month-old son Archie and Harry is expected to join them soon.
The couple intends to repay 2.4 million pounds of UK taxpayer money for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home as they split their time between Britain and Canada.
PTI
