The Details Of Meghan & Harry's Roles As Non-Senior Royals Seem Familiar
The last of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's senior royal duties are right around the corner. Six weeks after the couple announced their plans to step down from their senior royal roles and work to "become financially independent," an official end date has been revealed and more information about their new life has become public. These details about Meghan and Harry's new royal roles and the transitional period involved seem like business as usual.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Wednesday, Feb. 19, that Meghan and Harry's transitional period into their non-senior royal roles is set to begin on March 31. “The Royal Family and Sussexes have agreed to an initial 12-month review to ensure the arrangement works for all parties,” a source told royal reporter Omid Scobie.
Starting April 1, "the Sussexes will no longer have an office at Buckingham Palace but will continue to repped in the UK through their foundation team," the Palace confirmed. Meghan and Harry will "retain their other titles of The Earl & Countess of Dumbarton and The Baron & Baroness Kilkeel."
As for Harry's work with the U.K. military, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson explained: "Prince Harry will retain ranks of Major, Lieutenant Commander, and Squadron Leader, however, during this 12-month period his honorary military positions will not be used. No new appointments will be made to fill these roles before the review is completed."
Buckingham Palace also laid out details of Meghan and Harry's last few engagements before the transition period, and it seems they're going to be quite busy in the coming weeks.
On Feb. 28, Harry will meet with Jon Bon Jovi at a "recording session of his song 'Unbroken' with the Invictus Games Choir," and on March 5, Harry and Meghan will attend the annual Endeavour Fund awards in London.
The following day, Harry will attend the opening of the Silverstone UK Experience, "a museum that tells the story of the past, present and future of British motor racing."
Meghan will have a royal engagement for International Women's Day 2020 on March 8, however, details are not yet available.
And finally, on March 9, Harry and Meghan will join the Queen and members of the Royal Family for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.
Scobie's palace source said Meghan and Harry plan to be in the United Kingdom "regularly" and that it's expected Harry will be at the London Marathon, as well as the Invictus Games in May with Meghan.
While the phrase "transitional period" sounds really scary, the details of Meghan and Harry's road to becoming non-senior royals honestly doesn't seem much different from what they were doing when they were working for the Queen.
While it's sure to be a whirlwind year for Meghan and Harry, it seems plans are starting to pan out in their favor.
