Prince Harry and Meghan Markle initially hoped that King Charles would allow them to adopt a “six-month plan” to balance royal duties and their life in the United States, an arrangement that Queen Elizabeth strongly opposed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex originally proposed spending half the year as royals in the United Kingdom and the other half in the United States.
However, Queen Elizabeth rejected the idea of a “half in, half out” royal role. After the rejection, Harry and Meghan moved permanently to the United States, where they now reside with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. real author Tom Quinn told The Mirror that the couple had anticipated a more flexible approach under King Charles.
“Meghan and Harry had always hoped that when Queen Elizabeth died, Charles would adopt a less strict view of what it means to be a working royal.” he said. According to Quinn, the Sussexes believed the arrangement would be mutually beneficial. “Six months in the UK as a working royal followed by six months in the US would boost the Sussex brand, which is becoming less and less interesting without the royal work angle,” he explained.
Quinn further argued that Harry’s appeal in the United States might have been stronger if he had retained his royal working status. “Americans would have found Harry more interesting if he had not resigned as a working royal,” he said. The couple’s departure from royal duties in 2020 and subsequent move to California have been key points of contention within the royal family.
he said: “The American public would have preferred if Harry had not given up his royal role; that’s all he’s ever been trained to do and that’s the main thing that made him interesting. Now that he’s lost it, why should anyone in America be interested? And Meghan hates the idea that this could bring her down.”
While Harry and Meghan have undertaken several ventures in the US, including media deals and charitable work, their distance from the royal institution has led to constant speculation about their future roles and public image. As King Charles continues to define his reign, it is unclear whether any flexibility could be extended to the Sussexes or whether the strict limits put in place during Queen Elizabeth’s reign will remain.