THE Queen reportedly decided long ago which royals will take on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s patronages – even before they officially quit.
The monarch will make the announcement to the Royal Family in the next few weeks, the Mirror reported.
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The Queen reportedly made the decision before the announcement that Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, would not return to the Royal Family.
Princess Anne is set to take over from Prince Harry as Captain General of the Royal Marines.
The Princess Royal, 70, is likely to become the first female Captain General after Harry was forced to give up the role.
Royal sources said it would be “provocative” if the post were given to his brother William, 38.
Prince Edward is ruled out as he quit the elite force after only three weeks of commando training in 1987.
Harry is said to “bitterly disappointed” at losing the role, among a host of other positions.
Edward or his wife Sophie, 56, could replace Meghan as National Theatre patron.
Pregnant Meghan and Harry were today seen for the first time since being stripped of their titles as they appeared at an “inspiring” Spotify online event.
Meanwhile, William hopes to repair his rift with Harry now Megxit is done, but only if Meghan Markle doesn’t “unleash” on Oprah, royal sources have claimed.
The brothers’ relationship is understood to remain fragile after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were officially stripped of their royal patronages.
William was said to be “really sad and genuinely shocked” by how his brother reacted as the Sussexes insisted they could still “live a life of service”.
Sources close to William said he believed Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, had been “insulting and disrespectful”, and he was “very upset by what has happened”.
But the Duke of Cambridge is now keen to focus on “purely family matters” with his brother in order to repair their bond, palace sources have said.
One source told The Times Meghan and Harry’s step-down could help rebuild the brothers’ relationship which has broken down in recent years.
Harry was stripped of his role as patron of the Rugby Football Union.
Meghan and Harry were disappointed to lose their patronages as they thought they would be able to quit royal life and keep them, a royal source suggested.
A royal source told the PA news agency they had “absolutely, no question” they wanted to retain the positions they had lost.
“They do respect the decision but they always made clear they were committed to doing the roles,” the source added.
