End of crisis and complete breakdown. After ten crazy days on the other side of the Channel, during which the British saw their royal family tear apart with press releases and muffled declarations, but tear all the same ..., Harry and Meghan announced Saturday to give up to their royal titles.
Predictable epilogue of this painful sequence for Queen Elizabeth II, who had already mentioned a 2019 year "full of pitfalls" in her Christmas speech and was probably expecting a less hectic start to 2020.
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The decision of the princely couple will be a milestone in the history of the British monarchy and raises several questions as to the future of daily life, more royal at all, therefore, but undoubtedly not trivial, of Harry and Meghan who decided to live in Canada.
Is this decision irreversible?
Yes. The statement released by Buckingham on Saturday evening leaves little room for doubt: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will no longer use their title of Royal Highness since they are no longer active members of the Royal Family », Specifies the palate. "They will no longer fulfill royal obligations" and "can no longer formally represent the queen", adds the text.
"It's an abdication," did not hesitate to affirm the protocol expert of the royal family Alastair Bruce, interviewed by the Sun on Sunday, noting that Harry finds himself thus demoted to the same rank as thirty others British dukes.
What becomes of their titles?
The question is unprecedented because it is the first time in history that British royalty has been faced with such a situation: a member of the Windsor family by birth who is deprived of this status.
Before Harry, who until then had been "only" sixth in the order of succession to the British throne, his mother Lady Diana had certainly also lost this status, after having divorced Prince Charles in 1996. Just like Sarah Ferguson, when she had separated from Prince Andrew, the queen's second son. But these were "honorary titles" obtained by marriage
At the time of his abdication in 1936, King Edward VIII, who wanted to marry a divorced American woman, had renounced the throne but not his title, seeing himself simply demoted from "His Majesty the King" to "His Royal Majesty the Duke of Windsor" . Regarding Harry and Meghan, they are now "only" Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The loss of all other titles is thus recorded.
What status for their son Archie?
Only 8 months old, Archie Mountbatten-Sussex (ex-Windsor, therefore), has just seen his royal destiny change. His future within royalty was dotted anyway as he had little chance of reigning one day. His father, Harry, being until then sixth in the order of succession to the throne, Archie was therefore only seventh….
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It remains to be seen what relationship the boy can establish with the royal family who remained in England? If we are to believe the press release published by Buckingham, they will be kind. "Harry, Meghan and Archie will remain very dear members of my family", stressed Elizabeth II, welcoming that "a constructive solution for [s] one grandson and his family". After all, Harry and Archie have not lost their title to the Queen's grandson and great grandson.
What economic consequences?
The price of freedom. By turning their backs on the royal family, Harry and Meghan, who will not be financially sorry, will have to put their hands in the wallet and probably also revise their lifestyle down.
They undertook to reimburse certain public expenses from which they benefited, in particular the sums used to renovate the Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, their place of residence in the United Kingdom, that is more than 2 million pounds (2.3 million euros ), which had won them criticism in the media.
By renouncing their titles, the couple also makes a cross on the rents that go with it. In particular those allocated by Prince Charles, Harry's father, via the Duchy of Cornwall, which represents 95% of their income. According to the Times, it is about 5 million pounds (5.9 million euros) that are donated each year to Charles' two sons, Harry and William. "We can assume that William received 4 million euros, and Harry 2 million euros of this amount," said Parisian Stéphane Bern, specialist in crowned heads.
Will Canada pay for their security?
Meghan and Harry may have renounced their royal titles, they remain famous ... and therefore subject to temptation for individuals with good or bad intentions. Security measures will therefore be essential to enable them to lead their new life in complete safety.
According to the Guardian, British police spent around £ 600,000 a year (around € 705,000) to keep the couple safe. Who will pay this amount now? For now, it's the big unknown. The Prime Minister of Canada has offered to take over, but without confirming anything. And according to a survey published this week, 73% of Canadians believe that the couple must pay "themselves" for their security.
Meghan and Harry may not soon be the only members of the royal family who can no longer benefit from significant police protection funded by the British taxpayer. According to the London daily Evening Standard, Scotland Yard recommended lowering the protective device for Prince Andrew, the Queen's second son. He has withdrawn from public life after charges of sexual assault brought by a woman, who says he was a sex slave of the American financier Jeffrey Epstein.