PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle’s Megxit review has been brought forward – with the couple expected to be stripped of their royal patronages, it was reported today.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit the Royal Family last year to start a new life, saying they wanted to continue to represent the Queen but become financially independent.
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After talks with the 94-year-old monarch last year, it was agreed a review would take place 12 months after they quit.
Since leaving the UK, the couple have settled in the US and signed multi-million pound deals with Netflix and Spotify – and will sit down with Oprah Winfrey in a tell-all interview to be aired next month.
And it has now been reported Buckingham Palace will bring forward its final “Megxit” announcement to prevent further uncertainty, the Telegraph reported today.
It was further claimed the couple themselves were unaware of what the Megxit details would be – awaiting confirmation from the palace on whether they will be able to keep their royal patronages and charities.
It comes as…
- Prince Philip was taken to hospital last night – said to be in “good spirits”
- Samantha Markle called for half-sister Meghan to reach out to their dad Thomas
- The Queen is putting her faith in Prince Harry and Meghan not damaging the royal family in their Oprah interview
- Oprah is said to have played the long game with the couple – waiting three years to be able to interview them
- Nearly half of Brits think the Oprah interview is inappropriate, a YouGov survey found
The couple’s last royal engagement saw them attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March last year, with aides saying the Megxit review announcement would not be left until the end of March.
The Celeb Report today revealed The Duke of Sussex will lose his military titles as part of the review.
The couple – who will sit down to speak with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey for an interview to be broadcast next month – are said to be reluctantly resigned to losing their links to charities.
And Harry and Meghan have been told Oprah can “ask anything she wants” during the “intimate” 90-minute chat scheduled for March 7.
Several major American broadcasters were hoping to land the couple’s first major interview since quitting the Royal Family.
The Queen is said to have every faith Harry and Meghan will honour royal protocol during the TV interview, the Daily Mail reports.
A former pal of the Duke said: “There is no secret that Americans love a Brit in army uniform. Harry is far more marketable pictured with his Army uniform at events in the UK than as a bloke in a shirt and chinos.”
But a source said: “There would always be a suspicion military titles and patronages could end up being used on a documentary or television show somewhere.
“Is this picture going to be used to promote something next time he has something coming out?
“There will always be that doubt. You can’t allow people to accuse you of doing it for your own interests. It’s unworkable.”
Harry’s positions as Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving were taken away when he left the royals, pending the review.
The Celeb Report understands they are unlikely to be restored now the couple are firmly on the US celebrity circuit.
Harry is set to star on James Corden’s The Late Late Show after filming Carpool Karaoke on an open-top bus.
The titles he earned during his ten years in the Army are not affected.
Patronages such as the Rugby Football Union and National Theatre, which the couple were granted as working royals, are unlikely to be returned — even though Palace insiders point out they have so far fulfilled a promise to “uphold the values of Her Majesty”.
The couple have around 18 royal and private patronages but have not returned to the UK for 11 months.
Meghan, 39, is expected to be the main focus of the Oprah interview. The deal was signed at the weekend.
Harry, 36, previously working on a docu-series on mental health with Oprah, will appear at the end to talk about his family and new life.
Gayle King, CBS anchor and long-time friend of Oprah, said major interviewers and networks had been circling the couple for months.
She said: “This is a big deal. I’m told that nothing is off-limits. She can ask anything she wants.”
It is understood the couple will increase their TV and celebrity appearances when the 12-month review is over at the end of March.
Buckingham Palace said it will not comment on the couple’s status until the review is complete.
