The royal fallout over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back from the royal family is still reverberating throughout parts of the world. The decision is just so huge.
One part of their announcement yesterday was particularly interesting: The two mentioned that more details about their decision could be found on their new website, Sussexroyal.com. The problem, of course, was that the site wouldn't load for hours after their announcement, because everyone and their mama was trying to get on it and see what those new details are.
Luckily, traffic has slowed enough now that the royal site loads and one can happily peruse it at a leisurely pace, soaking up all the details of what the royal family might look like now. Even luckier for anyone who is reading and who doesn't want to do this themselves, I took it upon myself to read everything I could get my eyes on, and I think I've learned a lot.
1. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle really mean it.
There's speculation out there that Harry and Meghan are calling the royal family's bluff. I mean, I don't know if one can simply call the bluff of Queen Elizabeth, but some people seem to think they might be trying. Basically, the theory goes like this: Either the Queen takes away all of their titles and money and Harry and Meghan can say they were right to go, or the Queen gives them what they want (unlikely) and they are welcome to go.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say perhaps Harry and Meghan just mean what they're saying. They want to keep supporting the monarchy, family, and countries they love … but they also want to be able to be as normal of a family as they can. Maybe they really are putting their family and Archie above all else.
Because if you look at it, this site is serious. They lay out the whos, whys, hows, and whats pretty clearly. I don't think they plan to back down one inch.
2. Community is paramount to this decision.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have always been about the community of people they serve as members of the royal family. They've devoted their Instagram to highlighting new organizations each month. They make a point of meeting so many people when they travel. They love to tell stories of the people they've met, the hands they've shaken, and the hopes and dreams they've listened to.
So it's no surprise that when you visit their site, the first thing you see is a section called "Supporting Community: Connecting with the people and organisations that make the world a better place."
And you know what's second to community? "Supporting the Monarchy." Oooh, burn.
3. They are still totally dedicated to Harry's family.
Listen, this is Prince Harry we're talking about! While the palace has more than enough heirs between William and his brood of kids, it's not like Harry is going to totally escape his family or that he even wants to. The site makes it clear that the duke and duchess will remain very dedicated to the family and to the patronages they are part of.
The site reads, "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex deeply believe in the role of The Monarchy, and their commitment to Her Majesty The Queen is unwavering. Their roles will continue to reflect their sense of duty and allegiance to The Monarch and her legacy in the world, as they transition into the new working model."
Also? They didn't call the website PrinceHarryAndMeghanMarkle.com. They called it Sussexroyal.com for a reason.
4. They must have felt like they had to do it this way.
I have a hard time believing that Prince Harry and Meghan genuinely believed that blowing up the family and the internet was truly the best way to break their news. Rumors have been flying for months that someone in the palace (Prince William's team) had been leaking stories about Meghan to the press to distract from other issues (his rumored affair with Rose Hanbury). I'm not saying that the same someone leaked news of this transition early, but I'm also not saying that they … didn't.
Whatever motivated them, it's clear that Harry and Meghan have put a tremendous amount of thought into how this would impact everyone they love. The website is full of language that reflects a sincere love and appreciation for their positions and their families. Something, or someone, may have pushed them to this point, but I don't think they're sad to be here.
5. Their future will be fascinating to watch as it unfolds.
I am wildly curious to know what the pair's "new charitable entity" will be. Avid royal followers may have seen rumors over the holiday break that Meghan was networking in LA, and many believed that she might be doing exactly this: setting up a brand-new charity.
Whatever the charity is, if Meghan and Harry are allowed to break away from the family, it'll be really cool to see how this unfolds. We are definitely in unlived royal times!
