There's been a lot of focus on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle these days. After the couple announced that they'd be resigning from their royal positions, fans were desperate to hear what his brother, Prince William, had to say. While he was reportedly quite upset that he couldn't officially stand behind his brother, William's words were noble.
"All we can do, and all I can do, is try and support them and hope that the time comes when we’re all singing from the same page. I want everyone to play on the team," he reportedly told a friend, according to People. But the chances of Prince Harry going back aren't very positive. The couple will be splitting time between the United Kingdom and Canada.
That said, it makes sense that more responsibility may be put on Prince William due to the change-up. He was already appointed a new title. On Saturday, January 25, Queen Elizabeth II gave him the honor of serving as the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Yes, the title is a mouthful. But what does that mean?
The person who's given this title has a distinguished record of public service in Scotland, which Prince William has. They're also close with the church. Their job is to serve as representation, which is great for William. In 2014, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, held the position.
From 2015 to 2016, James Arthur David Hope, Baron Hope of Craighead held onto the title. In 2017, Anne, Princess Royal — also known as Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter —was given the honor. In 2018 and 2019, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, Richard Scott, held onto the role. So this isn't a permanent position.
In fact, according to Tatler, the position is meant to last only 12 months. It may seem weird that William has it when he's not even Scottish, but it's not unusual for the royal family to take on the position. That said, it does mean that William has a few extra trips to Scotland in his future.
Tatler states that William will also be allowed to access the Palace of Holyroodhouse and will also receive a "Guard of Honour." But that's not all — the position will also earn him a 21-gun salute along with the keys to the city of Edinburgh. So it's seen as quite an honor.
As with many things, William will report to the Queen in this new position. That just shows that Queen Elizabeth II knows that William is both trustworthy and charitable enough to hold the position. Still, it's interesting to wonder whether or not Prince Harry would have been considered.
Their royal duties are already rumored to have been handed off to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. That is, if they choose to accept them. "It’s quite clear that one of the consequences is that Beatrice and Eugenie will now be brought forward — if they’re willing to be brought forward," Robert Lacey, royal biographer, said to Hello! magazine.
Another contender is Sophie, the Countess of Wessex. Sophie is married to Prince Edward, and Queen Elizabeth II has reportedly always been fond of her. Royal expert Phil Dampier thinks that now with Meghan and Harry out of the United Kingdom for the time being, it's Sophie's moment to really shine.
"Prince Edward has kept a very low profile in recent years but his wife, Sophie, has become a star in her own right," Phil said, per Fox News. "She is very close to Her Majesty and is a favorite of hers. Recently she has been on several overseas trips and done fantastically well. Now that her children are a bit older I think there could be a great role for her to play."
Kate Middleton and Prince William definitely aren't taking a break from their royal responsibilities. The two recently showed up at a Holocaust Memorial Day service, which was also attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. To pay tribute to those who died, William read a letter that was penned by a friend of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice.
Princess Alice notably helped Jewish people during the awful time. She was particularly interested in the well-being of the Cohen family. "When the persecution of the Jews by the Germans began, Princess Alice asked to be informed about the fate of the Cohen family," the letter began. "Having been informed by friends and by her lady in waiting about the plight of Mrs. Cohen and her young daughter, the Princess decided to offer her hospitality to the two ladies; in fact to hide them in her home despite the danger this entailed."
Meanwhile, as these events have been taking place, Meghan has been out of the spotlight. But people are still talking about her. Forbes wrote that Meghan's new role was more or less representing a new kind of woman. "Last week, I saw a meme that had made 'Meghan Markle' a verb, meaning 'to value yourself and mental health enough to up and leave a room, situation, environment in which your authentic self is not welcomed or wanted,'" Sonia Thompson wrote.
While Meghan will no longer be able to use her HRH title, she still made royal family history. She married into the royals as an American who had already gone through a divorce. She is also a biracial woman, which — unfortunately, and awkwardly — happens to be an issue for some people. So even though she didn't advance or get a new title like Prince William, she still made a big difference.
She also proved that, maybe, some things should change in the royal family. Prince Harry and Prince William tragically lost their mother due to intense and invasive media interest. Perhaps if there were better ways to protect Meghan and make her feel as if she belonged in the family, this wouldn't have happened.
Hopefully, having William remain involved with his royal responsibilities won't add to his reported rift with Prince Harry. The two brothers are definitely on different paths, but there's still a lot of love and respect between the two. Hopefully, they'll remain in touch — especially for the sake of their children.
