Harry and Meghan: royal statements

Yahoo – AFP, January 18, 2020

In this file photo taken on July 10, 2018 Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R)
puts her hand on Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex's back; Britain's Prince Harry
and his wife Meghan will give up their titles and stop receiving public funds (AFP
Photo/Tolga AKMEN)

London (AFP) - Here are the two statements from Queen Elizabeth II and Buckingham Palace confirming that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have agreed to give up their royal titles and public funding.

Statement from Her Majesty The Queen

Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.

Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.

I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.

I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.

It is my whole family’s hope that today's agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.

Statement from Buckingham Palace

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments.

They will no longer receive public funds for Royal duties. With The Queen's blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations.

While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.

The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home.

Buckingham Palace does not comment on the details of security arrangements.

There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly funded security.

This new model will take effect in the Spring of 2020.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan's effective resignation from front-line duties is only the latest crisis to hit the royal family in the last century https://t.co/iC6b96CBMj

— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 19, 2020

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan to give up royal titles

Yahoo – AFP, Dmitry ZAKS, January 18, 2020

A royal goodbye: Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will give up their
official titles (AFP Photo/Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS)

London (AFP) - Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have agreed to give up their royal titles and stop receiving public funds as part of a settlement with the Queen that lets them spend more private time in Canada.

The announcement from Buckingham Palace on Saturday follows more than a week of intense private talks aimed at managing the fallout of the couple's shock decision to give up front-line royal duties.

The decision means the couple will stop usings the titles "royal highness" as they assume more ordinary lives that will see them spend more time away from both Britain and the royal family.

"Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family," Queen Elizabeth II said in a statement.

"I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life."

Her comments referred to battles with the media that prompted Harry and Meghan -- known until now as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex -- to sue several newspapers over intrusions into their private lives.

A separate statement attributed to Buckingham Palace said "the Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family".

HRH stands for Her Royal Highness.

"As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments. They will no longer receive public funds for royal duties," the statement said.

The settlement added that the two will also repay £2.4 million ($3.1 million) of taxpayer's money spent on renovating their Frogmore Cottage home near Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth II described the settlement as "a constructive and supportive
way forward for my grandson and his family" (AFP Photo/Ben STANSALL)

'Progressive new role'

The Palace would not comment on who ends up paying for their security detail in Canada -- an issue of intense public debate.

It also failed to mention whether the couple would be allowed to benefit financially from future royalties and franchise fees.

Harry and Meghan are seeking to register the "Sussex Royal" brand as a global trademark for their future enterprises.

The couple are dedicated to environmental causes and are looking to develop their charitable foundation as part of a "progressive new role".

The queen's announcement is her second on the royal crisis -- dubbed Megxit in honour of Britain's painful battle over Brexit -- since Harry and Meghan's effective resignation on March 8.

"We have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution," the couple said at the time.

"We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America."

Meghan then jetted back to Canada and is now their with their son Archie.

Their announcement caught the royal family by surprise and created a media sensation in both Britain and the wider world.

Their treatment by London's hard-hitting tabloid press and their personal future -- as well as questions about longstanding royal traditions -- have turned into daily front-page news.

Media reports said Harry would probably join Meghan and Archie on the west coast of Canada this coming week.

The royal crisis has been dubbed Megxit in honour of Britain's painful battle 

over Brexit (AFP Photo/Tolga AKMEN)

'Abdication'

The Queen's final ruling on her grandson's future drew immediate comparisons to King Edward VIII's abdication in 1936.

Edward married the American socialite Wallis Simpson the following year and never returned to Britain.

"Harry is not King (he is sixth in line) but tonight this feels like his and Meghan’s own abdication," ITV television's royal editor Chris Ship said on Twitter.

"This isn't 1936. But it's still pretty big."

The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said Meghan must also decide whether she intends to return and spend time in Britain in order to gain her UK citizenship.

The couple's future tax status also remains unclear.

"I think they are feeling their way into this as much as anyone else is," Witchell said.

The couple will now officially be know formally as "Harry, The Duke of Sussex" and "Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex".

The Palace statement said the new arrangement "will take effect in the Spring of 2020".

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan's effective resignation from front-line duties is only the latest crisis to hit the royal family in the last century https://t.co/iC6b96CBMj

— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 19, 2020

Spain's King Juan Carlos to abdicate

Monarch says he is proud of country's transition to democracy but son Felipe has the maturity to 'open a new era of hope'

theguardian.com, Ashifa Kassam in Madrid, Monday 2 June 2014

After 39 years on the throne, King Juan Carlos of Spain will abdicate in favour of his son Crown Prince Felipe, the king said in a televised address on Monday.

Hours after the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, broke the news, the king explained his decision on Spanish television and radio. He highlighted his pride in the "transformation of Spain" and the "tremendous amount achieved by all" since the country's transition into democracy.

"Today, when I look back, I cannot help but feel pride and gratitude towards all of you," he said.

Felipe and his wife, Letizia.
Photograph: Ignacio Lopez/EPA

The decision to step down, he said, was made after his 76th birthday in January. His son Felipe, he assured Spaniards, "has the maturity, preparation, and sense of responsibility necessary to assume the title of head of state and open a new era of hope which combines the experience and momentum of a new generation."

Once one of the world's most popular monarchs, more recently Juan Carlos has been plagued by a series of scandals that have sent his popularity plummeting. A poll by El Mundo last year found that nearly two-thirds of Spaniards thought the king should abdicate.

In contrast, Prince Felipe, a former Olympic yachtsman, has come out relatively unscathed. Frequently photographed while taking their two daughters to school or at shopping malls, Felipe and his wife Letizia Ortiz - a former television news anchor - have cultivated an image of leading a relatively modes tlifestyle.

Fluent in English, French and Catalan along with Spanish, Felipe studied for a year in Canada before undertaking three years of military training in Spain's army, navy and air force academy. A law degree in Madrid soon followed, as well as a Masters in international relations at Georgetown University in Washington, DC

"His goal, his only goal, is to serve Spain. It has been deeply ingrained in him that he must be the country's main servant," his mother Queen Sofia once said.

Carlos and his wife Princess Sophia of Greece in Athens during
their wedding. Photograph: Ho/AFP/Getty Images

The poll showing rising public support for Juan Carlos to abdicate was a stunning reversal for a leader who in 2012, had earned the approval of almost 80% of Spaniards. Taking the throne just two days after the death of Franco in 1975, Juan Carlos won the respect of Spaniards by steering the country from dictatorship to democracy, including foiling a coup attempt in 1981.

But as Spain fell into financial crisis, the king's standing sank. A particularly low point came when it was revealed that he had taken a luxurious trip to Botswana to hunt elephants, just weeks after telling a reporter that he was so distraught about the growing ranks of the unemployed that he was having trouble sleeping.

King Juan Carlos on his €10,000-a-day hunting safari in Botswana, which had
 been hushed up before he fell and broke his hip. Photograph: Target Press/
Barcroft Media

The royal family's image was further tarnished by a long-running corruption investigation into the king's daughter, Princess Cristina, and her husband Iñaki Urdangarin.

Many, particularly young Spaniards, began to see the king as part of Spain's problems, drawing parallels between him and the economic and political powers that had driven the country into the economic crisis. While the king's approval rating dropped steadily, that of his son Felipe remained stable at around 66%, leading many to suggest that the monarchy would be better off if the king abdicated.

In Monday's announcement, Rajoy praised Juan Carlos, calling him a "tireless defender of our interests". He added: "I'm convinced this is the best moment for change."

Spain is now expected to change its constitution to make sure Felipe's first-born daughter Leonor can succeed him.

The royal family has said its wants the change to ensure she is next in line to the throne in the event that Felipe's wife gets pregnant again and gives birth to a boy, who would become monarch under the current constitution.

Analysts say that could open the door to political negotiations for additional proposed constitutional changes, including demands by the leading opposition Socialist Party to grant Catalonia more autonomy or special financial benefits to ease separatist feelings.

Artur Mas, the president of Catalonia, declared that the king's abdication would not derail his plans to hold the vote asking Catalans whether they want to secede from Spain. "We have a date with our future on 9 November," Mas told reporters after the king gave his speech.

Rajoy's government must now pass a law creating a legal mechanism for Felipe's assumption of power, which will then allow Juan Carlos to set a date for his formal abdication.

King Juan Carlos presents his declaration of abdication

 to Spain's prime minister, Mariano Rajoy. Photograph: PPE/

SIPA/REX

Related Articles:

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Juan Carlos abdication prompts calls for referendum on Spain's monarchy

Prince Charles 'should abdicate' after comparing Putin to Hitler, says MP
Belgium's King Albert II abdicates in favour of his son

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to abdicate for son

European royalty's next generation

 European royalty from Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the
Netherlands, Belgium and Norway

Philippe ascends throne of divided Belgium

Google – AFP, Claire Rosemberg (AFP), 21 July 2013

Belgium's Prince Philippe (left) embraces King Albert II at the Royal

Palace in Brussels, on July 21, 2013 (Belga/AFP, Dirk Waem)

BRUSSELS — Philippe ascended the throne of Belgium as its seventh king on Sunday amid National Day celebrations marked by hopes the fragile nation can remain united.

"I swear to abide by the constitution and the laws of the Belgian people," Philippe, 53, and dressed in full military uniform, said in the country's three languages -- French, Flemish and German.

Princess Mathilde of Belgium ris driven

 to the Chamber at the Federal Parliament

 in Brussels, on July 21, 2013 (Belga/AFP,

Nicolas Lambert)

"I am aware of the responsibilities weighing on my shoulders," he added, after the abdication of his father Albert II after 20 years at the helm of the linguistically-split country at the heart of Europe.

Albert, 79, abdicated in favour of his eldest son at a solemn ceremony in the royal palace's chandelier-laden throne room after saying he felt too old and too fragile to continue to reign.

In his last speech, Albert reiterated a call to the country's leaders "to work tirelessly in favour of Belgium's cohesion".

His voice breaking with emotion, Albert turned to his wife of 54 years, Queen Paola, to say: "As for the queen who constantly supported me in my task I would simply like to tell her 'thank you.'

"A big kiss", he added as she shed a tear and the audience of political leaders and other dignitaries broke into a long round of applause.

Under sunny skies and a light summer breeze, flags fluttered across Brussels as the day of

pageantry began with a thanksgiving mass in the cathedral and crowds lined outside shouted "Long Live the King".

Prince Philippe during the
oath taking ceremony at the
Chamber at the Federal

 Parliament in Brussels, on
July 21, 2013 (Belga/AFP, 
Yorick Jansens)

The medieval cathedral of Saint Michael and Gudula was packed with Belgian government and other dignitaries, but there were no foreign guests in attendance.

"It is a new page for the monarchy," said Maximilien De Wouters, a student of 24 draped in the black, yellow and red national flag.

But worries persist that the shy and often awkward prince Philippe may lack the political skills of his father to maintain unity in a nation deeply divided between its Flemish- and French-speaking halves.

Mathilde, an outgoing 40-year-old who will be Belgium's first home-grown queen, is seen as his best asset in the couple's campaign to win the hearts of their 11.5 million people.

"Philippe, you have the heart and the intelligence to serve our country very well," Albert said in his abdication speech. "You and your dear wife Mathilde have all our confidence."

The monarchy more often than not is viewed as a rare symbol of Belgium's unity -- along with its iconic fries and the national football team.

But while the French-speakers of the south remain largely royalist, Flemish-speaking Flanders, home to 60 percent of the population, has cooled. There, the powerful separatist N-VA party favours a republic, or at least a royal as figurehead only.

Queen Paola and King Albert II arrive at

 the Saint Michael and St Gudula Cathedral

 in Brussels on July 21, 2013 (Belga/AFP,

Virginie Lefour)

"I am a fan of the royal family," said Cindy van Merheulen, 34, from Limburg in Flanders. "I want to welcome Philippe. Nearly all Belgians love the king, the problem is that those who are against shout louder."

In the last decades, severe tensions across the linguistic divide in a country that hosts key international institutions such as the EU and NATO, have seen it morph progressively into a federal state that devolves increasing powers to its language-based regions.

During his two decades at the helm, Albert II helped steer the country through several crises and avoid break-up.

King Albert II of Belgium
signs the abdication treaty at
the Royal Palace in Brussels,
on July 21, 2013 (Prime

 Minister Chancellery/AFP)

He played a key role to end its longest political crisis in 2010-2011 when the country went through a record-breaking 541 days without a government.

In a farewell speech to the nation Saturday, he said his first wish as he stepped down was to see Belgium "retain its cohesion".

"I am convinced that maintaining the cohesion of our Federal state is vital, not only for our quality of life together, which requires dialogue, but also so as to preserve the well-being of all," he said.

Many fear that the separatist N-VA, the strongest party in Flanders, will make further gains in next May's general election.

With the country mindful of the need to tighten government spending due to Europe's economic crisis, Sunday's celebrations that take place on its National Day will be kept to around 600,000 euros ($788,000), on a par with the annual July 21 event.

Belgian King Philippe has been sworn in and joined by his wife and children

to wave to supporters from the balcony of the royal palace in Brussels.

Related Article:

Philippe becomes new Belgian king as Albert II abdicates

Belgium's King Albert II abdicates in favour of his son

Google – AFP, Claire Rosemberg (AFP), 4 July 2013

King Albert II of Belgium delivers a speech at the royal palace in 

Brussels on July 3, 2013 (Belga/AFP, Eric Lalmand)

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Belgium's King Albert II announced his abdication Wednesday in favour of his son, saying that after two decades at the helm of the tiny country he felt too old and frail to continue.

"I intend to abdicate on July 21," Belgium's national day, the sovereign said in a broadcast to the nation from the royal palace.

"After 29 years of reigning, I believe the time has come to pass the torch to the next generation."

"Prince Philippe is well prepared. He and Princess Mathilde have my entire confidence," Albert said in the short speech, read first in French then in Flemish, Belgium's two main languages.

Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe (R) and 

Princess Mathilde in Stockholm, May 22, 2012

 (AFP/File, Jonathan Nackstrand)

"I am at an age never attained by predecessors," he added. "My age and my health do not allow me to exercise my duties as I would like."

There had been consistent reports that the sovereign was preparing to abdicate in favour of the 53-year-old crown prince. But many fear that Philippe, whom politicians said would likely be crowned also on July 21, lacks the tact and know-how.

Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo however said that the crown prince "has seriously and with a sense of responsibility prepared himself for his new functions.

"He can count on the government's support," said Di Rupo, flanked by the cabinet and speaking minutes after the announcement.

Albert, who turned 79 last month, has faced tough times this year.

Last month a 45-year-old sculptor, Delphine Boel, went to court to win official recognition as his natural daughter, not long after a financial scandal that triggered a government decision to force the royal family to pay taxes on its state allowances for the first time.

As the second son of King Leopold III (1901-1983) and Astrid of Sweden (1905-1935), Albert was never destined to reign but was forced to ascend to the throne in 1993 on the death of his older brother King Baudouin, who passed away without an heir.

A waves a Belgian flag in front of the royal

 palace at the Paleizenplein - Place des

Palais in Brussels, on July 3, 2013

(Belga/AFP, Laurie Dieffembacq)

His decision to step down is the first voluntary abdication in the history of Belgium. The country gained independence from the Netherlands in 1831.

A quiet, self-effacing man, Albert played a key role in the political life of the small language-divided nation, whose affluent Flemish north and more down-at-heels French-speaking south are increasingly split.

In 2010 and 2011, he steered the country's fractious politicians towards a deal after Belgium spent a world record-breaking 541 days without a government.

His negotiating skills through the 18-month crisis, Belgium's bleakest recent moments, were hailed by all bar the powerful Flemish N-VA separatist movement that stands poised to make significant gains in elections next year.

Analysts said the king wanted to give his heir time to make his mark before the potentially dangerous 2014 polls.

"The abdication will enable the future king to take on the mantle and to meet political leaders ahead of the elections. Everyone fears a repeat of the 2010-2011 crisis," said political scientist Caroline Van Wynsberghe of Brussels' ULB University.

A bottle of champagne and a note reading,

 "Thank you for everything Sire, good

retirement" in Brussels, on July 3 2013

(Belga/AFP, Olivier Vin)

As monarch, Albert's duties include representing Belgium at home and abroad on state visits, trade missions, and at high-level international meetings as well as taking an interest in Belgian society, culture and enterprise.

Philippe has been increasingly in the public eye in the last months but some Belgians remained concerned over the departure of Albert II.

"He doesn't seem to have the energy or strength," Nathalie Clicteur, a 47-year-old office worker, told AFP. But "the king is tired and has earned the right to retire," she said.

Michel Galand, a soldier aged 52, said he was not worried to see Philippe step onto the throne. Though the crown prince seemed "a little awkward" in public he was also "responsible and serious."

Six kings from the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha -- now known simply as the royal house of Belgium -- have headed the constitutional monarchy since independence.

European royalty's next generation

Deutsche Welle, 28 April 2013

Dutch Queen Beatrix will pass on the crown to her son April 30. In the other European monarchies, the next generation is ready as well. But it's unlikely that Beatrix's abdication will start a European game of thrones.

After 30 years on the throne, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands declared in a televised address in January, shortly before her 75th birthday, she would abdicate on Koniginnedag (Queen's Day) on April 30, 2013. "I am abdicating not because my duties are becoming too burdensome, but because I am convinced that it is time for the responsibility for our country to pass to a new generation," Beatrix declared matter-of-factly. "On 30 April this year, with the utmost confidence, I shall hand over the duties of the monarchy to my son, the Prince of Orange."

For many Dutch and monarchy fans in all of Europe, the step didn't really come as a surprise, as Beatrix's mother and her grandmother had also relinquished the crown to make way for the next generation.

Senior citizens on the throne

Beatrix will soon relinquish the
Dutch crown and scepter

In the other reigning monarchies in Europe, the kings and queens are well past retirement age as well. There will be a lot of passing-on-the-scepter in a few years for biological reasons alone. Spry British Queen Elizabeth II recently turned 87. Her son Charles has been waiting for a long time and, at 64 years of age, is about to become a grandfather. Denmark's Queen, chain-smoker Margrethe II is 73 years old, and her son Frederick is 44. At 76, introverted King Harald of Norway is one year ahead of Beatrix; his son and successor Haakon is 40 years old. In Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf, 68, manages to hang on to the crown, despite his various sexual affairs having been made public. His daughter Victoria, 35, is much more popular with the subjects and would be accepted as queen immediately.

In Belgium, almost 80-year-old Albert II holds the reigns. His son Phillipp is 53 and has already taken over numerous tasks from his father. In Spain, the monarch is under a lot of pressure from the "real world," because he is suspected by some of being involved in a bribery scandal. King Juan Carlos, 75, is in poor health and, after a slew of extramarital affairs, far from the popular monarch he once was. Crown prince Felipe would like to supersede his father, but "the king will never abdicate." At least that's what Juan Carlos' wife Queen Sofia says about him.

 European royalty from Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the
Netherlands, Belgium and Norway

"Royal heirs aren't unemployed"

Historian and royalty expert Monika Wienfort from the University of Braunschweig in northern Germany does not believe that the people want to get rid of elderly monarchs.

"I don't think that the people in these countries prefer to see the young princes and princesses more often," said Wienfort. "I rather believe that by taking on responsibilities on the regional level, the heirs to the throne simply perform a certain function already."

The more or less young royal children grow into their responsibilities and are by no means unemployed or bored, added Wienfort: "The way it's handled now also solves the problem of the structural lack of purpose for the heir apparent and their spouse."

Abdication unlikely 

Kunze: "Beatrix no model for British
Queen"

More royal abdications like the one in the Netherlands aren't impossible. Every king or queen has the right to step down from the throne. If the pope can do it, so can the crowned heads of Europe, historian and monarchy researcher Rolf-Ulrich Kunze says. But just because they can does not mean they are likely to do so, as Kunze pointed out to DW: "It's hard to tell whether one of them would, because it's always connected to very personal constellations, to the family situation in the royal dynasties. And this has less to do with structural things like constitutional questions."

The Netherlands are not a model for the British monarchy, according to Kunze. While the Dutch look at their monarch as a functional head of state with political tasks, the British Queen, who has been on the throne for nearly 61 years, epitomizes the national identity. "They're very different cases. The two dynasties have taken different paths because of the functions they fulfill in their respective countries," Kunze said. 

Queen Elizabeth II has been on
the throne for 60 years

"The subjects are enjoying it"

The parliamentary monarchies in seven European countries aren't going anywhere in the near future, according to royalty historian Wienfort. "I believe most citizens in monarchies are actually enjoying their royals. In the Netherlands for example people are looking forward to the Koniginnedag, when Beatrix will abdicate, as a big celebration."

There are no serious intentions to get rid of this form of government in any of the countries, only small protests by republican-minded groups, Wienford explained. "Every now and then, these groups are looking for a way into the spotlight. But they don't actually stand a chance in achieving a turn away from the monarchy."

Monarchism has survived in Europe in places where there were no revolutions or uprisings like the ones in France, Italy or Germany. In the worst-case scenario, fallen kings and queens could always move in with their relatives abroad, because all of Europe's royal families are somehow related to one another and to German aristocracy.

Close relations between Netherlands and Germany

The Dutch royal dynasty Orange-Nassau is basically a German family.

"The relation couldn't be closer," said Kunze. "We can hear this each time the Dutch national anthem, the 'Wilhelmus,' is sung, where it says 'William of Nassau am I, of German blood.'" 

The next two generations of Dutch rulers:
Willem-Alexander and his family

The dynasty's founding father, William of Orange-Nassau, is from Dillenburg in today's state of Hesse. He inherited the tiny French principality of Orange and so rose through the ranks of high nobility. "The relationship with Germany has been close since the early modern age, and it has remained close through marriages," Kunze said.

The husbands of the last three Dutch queens were all Germans. But the new king, Willem-Alexander, has broken with this spousal tradition. His wife Maxima is a "commoner" from Argentina.