Despite undergoing cancer treatment, King Charles has shown resilience and leadership, especially when he led the royal family in their Easter celebrations. The monarch, known for his steadfast dedication to his duties, attended the traditional Easter service alongside other members of the royal family. Despite his health challenges, King Charles remained composed and dignified, setting an example for his subjects.

During the Easter service, King Charles was surrounded by his supportive family members, who stood by his side during this difficult time. Queen Camilla, ever the devoted spouse, was by the king’s side, offering him comfort and strength. The royal couple’s children and grandchildren also attended the service, showing their love and support for their father and grandfather during his cancer treatment.

King Charles’ presence at the Easter service, despite his ongoing treatment, served as an inspiration to many. His determination to fulfill his royal duties even in the face of adversity highlighted his unwavering commitment to his role as monarch. The king’s resilience and strength of character were evident to all who witnessed his Easter appearance, serving as a testament to his leadership and fortitude in challenging times.

Prince Harry met American actress Meghan Markle when they were set up on a blind date in 2016. The pair hit it off and officially tied the knot two years later, in 2018. The royal wedding was in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and was watched by millions of people all over the world. Since their marriage, Harry and Meghan have been through a lot. Keep reading to see just how drastically their lives have changed since announcing their exit from the royal family…

It’s no secret that Meghan Markle hasn’t had an easy time with the British media. In fact, the famously invasive tabloid press has been known to harass the Suits actress. Prince Harry also has a difficult relationship with the media, due to the role of paparazzi in his mother’s passing.

For these reasons and others, on April 1st, 2020, the royal couple made an announcement that they would be stepping down as senior royals and planned to become financially independent.

Before this groundbreaking and unprecedented announcement, there were already some signs that Meghan and Harry weren’t happy with their situation in the UK. As well as their issues with the press, which include several lawsuits, the royal couple have allegedly had issues with Harry’s brother, William, as well as his wife, Kate Middleton.

Tabloid rumors suggest that the foursome fell out because Harry was annoyed that his brother was cheating on Katherine with a mutual friend. Additionally, Harry left a charity that the brothers set up together.

Since making their announcement, Prince Harry and Meghan have spent time in both Canada and the USA. Prior to their announcement, the couple had holidayed with baby Archie in Vancouver Island, Canada with Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland. Ordinarily, members of the British royal family spend holidays together.

For example, Queen Elizabeth II spends every Christmas at Sandringham, and younger royals travel to meet her there. The Queen was said to be “disappointed” with Harry and Meghan’s holiday abroad.

Before Meghan and Harry officially revealed their intentions to leave the British royal family, a documentary showed how emotionally on edge the couple was. The documentary, called Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, showed a tearful Meghan admitting that life in the royal family had been difficult.

The former actress thanked the reporter for asking her and said, “As a woman, it’s a lot […] it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

Looking back at Meghan and Harry’s time in the UK, it’s not difficult to see why their life must have been difficult. As an American civilian, Meghan had to learn British royal etiquette, and the press held her to a high standard if she didn’t measure up.

For example, during the Trooping of the Color, the royal family is supposed to watch the parade in silence. Meghan ended up turning around to speak to her husband, and was told to turn back around again.

As we’ve seen, Prince Harry and Meghan have never had an easy relationship with the media. Harry has compared their treatment by the British press with what his late mother, Princess Diana, experienced. The couple, particularly Meghan, have been scrutinized in the British media.

The royal pair have sued several British newspapers for publishing misinformation or private communications. After their announcement, the Sussexes were removed from the Royal Rota system so the British press no longer had easy access to their private affairs.

As well as being swamped by press attention in the UK, Meghan and Harry also had to deal with the British public’s desire to see their baby. In the UK, there are protocols for a royal baby, including that the Queen must be the first person to know about the birth.

When Prince William and Kate Middleton had their children, they posed on the hospital steps mere hours after the births. The Sussexes waited two days, and British monarchists were not pleased.

Of course, if there are protocols for royal babies, then there are definitely protocols for royal adults. As well as giving up her acting career in order to join the British royal family, Meghan also had to remember a huge list of official dos and don’ts. When she was a senior royal, Markle was unable to cradle her baby bump, stick her tongue out, or give hugs to members of the public.

Meghan broke many royal protocols during her time, making her an enemy for some, and a hero for others.

When Prince Harry and Meghan did make their shocking announcement, the world was stunned. They released a statement on their website and social media accounts saying that “there really was no other option.”

In a speech, the Prince reiterated that he had found “love and happiness,” and that he wasn’t “walking away” from his lifelong home. In fact, Harry said that the fact that they were willing to leave the UK showed just how much pressure the couple was facing in the country.

As part of their announcement, Harry and Meghan said that they wanted to work to become financially independent. Up until that point, the couple got 5% of their income from the Sovereign Grant, which is a system of funding received by the royal household. For the 2014-2015 year, the Sovereign Grant was a whopping $51 million.

Following their announcement, the Sussexes will no longer receive this money, but will still get funds from Prince Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall.

Harry and Meghan’s statement was undoubtedly historically significant, though the Prince reiterated that the couple was not completely cutting ties with the royal family. In particular, Harry stated that he still had loyalty and affection for the royal family — especially towards his grandmother, “Her Majesty The Queen.”

Both Harry and Meghan will continue to be ambassadors for the Commonwealth, which is a group of 54 countries that used to be former territories of the British.

However, despite Meghan and Harry claiming that they have loyalty towards Queen Elizabeth, shockingly, they did not inform her of their announcement. In fact, the young royals didn’t tell any other members of the royal family about their intentions including Harry’s brother, Prince William, and father, Prince Charles.

You wouldn’t know this from their social media, which said that they looked forward to collaborating with “Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge, and all relevant parties.”

In their statement, Meghan and Harry said that they planned on balancing their time between the UK and the USA. At the time, there was plenty of press speculation about what exactly that meant, with some predicting a move to Canada.

After the controversial statement was made, Meghan left the UK to return to Canada, taking her young son with her. Some segments of the British public felt that Meghan was the brains behind the plan, though others understood the young family’s needs.

Though there are plenty of reasons for the Sussexes’ decision to step down as senior royals, the wellbeing of their young son must be at the top of their list. The couple described their future life spent between the UK and the US as providing some “geographical balance” to baby Archie.

Rather than living a life completely subsumed in royal tradition, Archie will spend half of his time in another country, partly free from official responsibility and royal protocol.

Of course, no matter how firm and polite Meghan and Harry were about their decision to move from the UK, many people were upset and offended. This included sections of the British public, especially those that have a strong connection with the royal family and their traditions.

Members of the royal family were reportedly hurt too, including the Queen herself. In her annual Christmas speech, she may have referred to the situation saying, “The path, of course, is not always smooth.”

Of course, because Prince Harry and Meghan didn’t inform any other members of the royal family about their decision, the palace was completely blindsided. This meant that Buckingham Palace — the administrative headquarters for the monarchy — had to address the situation on social media. We can’t imagine that followed royal protocols!

Amusingly, Buckingham Palace described the situation as “complicated.” In their post, the palace said that they were in the early stages of discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

If Meghan Markle was already being scrutinized and attacked by the British press before the announcement, the situation only worsened afterward. TV channels were awash with discussions on the subject, and media pundits tweeted their furious opinions.

Professional troll Piers Morgan wrote of the situation, “People say I’m too critical of Meghan Markle — but she ditched her family, ditched her dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William, & has now split him from the Royal Family. I rest my case.”

Of course, British people that were angry about the royal couple’s decision demanded that they pay back millions in public taxes. This was particularly true in the case of Frogmore Cottage, which is where the Sussexes had been living. Before they moved in, the property was refurbished to the cost of over $4 million for British taxpayers.

For their part, the young couple said they would still use the home as their UK base, and would endeavor to pay back the money.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s controversial move became known in the UK as “Megxit,” named after the country’s equally controversial exit from the European Union — Brexit. After the couple announced their intentions to step down as senior royals, their staff was removed from Frogmore Cottage.

During this time, there were also crisis talks between the Queen, Prince Harry, Prince Charles, and Prince William. Apparently, Meghan was planning to take part via conference call from Canada but ultimately didn’t.

After the summit of senior royals, Buckingham Palace issued a statement. Initially, Meghan and Harry wanted to be “working royals,” but the palace’s statement clarified that they would no longer have royal duties and could not use their “His/Her Royal Highness” styles.

As part of the final agreement, Prince Harry lost his military appointments, and the couple agreed to pay back millions to British taxpayers. The statement also claimed that the couple would spend “the majority” of their time in North America.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s move across the pond was global news, and North America wanted to know exactly what was expected of them. For example, surveys done in Canada showed that citizens didn’t want to pay for the Sussex’s security detail. Likewise, the USA was clear that they wouldn’t provide security for the couple.

According to a spokesperson for the couple, however, Prince Harry and Meghan have no intentions or plans to seek security protection from the US government.

As you might imagine, losing a security detail is just one of many things that will change in the royal couple’s life. Because they are no longer senior royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won’t have the same privileges that they had before.

For example, Kate Middleton regularly borrows items from the Queen’s jewelry collection, and Meghan will not be able to do the same. However, we imagine that the former actress would prefer privacy to tiaras!

Another part of Meghan and Harry’s life that’ll inevitably change is the status of their children. As we’ve learned, there are numerous protocols around a royal baby, but the couple can’t have any more royal children. Simply put, because Harry and Meghan are no longer senior royals, their children won’t be either.

This means that future baby Sussexes won’t have their own royal memorabilia. But, it also means that Meghan and Harry can enjoy family time with their newborns.

The Sussex’s statement said that the young couple planned to move to North America. Because they had spent time in both Canada and the US, onlookers speculated that they would choose either Toronto or L.A.

While she worked on Suits, Meghan spent most of the year in Toronto, and the couple had spent time holidaying in Canada with Markle’s mother. The media conjecture turned out to be spot-on, as the family relocated to Vancouver Island.

Eventually, the Sussex family relocated again, this time to the Golden State — a.k.a. California. In particular, Harry and Meghan purchased a $14.6 million house in Montecito, Santa Barbara. The Guardian reports that Montecito is more a “retreat” than a town, and that it has “an extraordinary concentration of wealth and celebrity.”

Neighbors of the Sussexes include Ariana Grande, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ellen DeGeneres, and Oprah Winfrey. Montecito is a particularly good location for people in need of privacy, as the houses are nestled in the hills.

Interestingly, Prince Harry has a friendly relationship with primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. The chimpanzee expert told the Radio Times that she had been in touch with the Prince since his move, and that “he’s finding life a bit challenging right now.”

One of the things that could be stressing Harry is the global pandemic. This is particularly true because his father, Prince Charles, was unwell. Moving across the world may have its benefits, but it also leaves the young couple further from Harry’s family members.

In her interview with the Radio Times, primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall also revealed some lifestyle changes that Harry would be undertaking. The animal lover remarked that both Prince William and Prince Harry are “champions of the natural world,” but pointed out that they also hunt.

Goodall’s prediction is that “Harry will stop because Meghan doesn’t like hunting.” Indeed, Harry has already missed some family hunting trips, including the annual grouse hunt at Balmoral in 2018.

Prince Harry first met Dr. Jane Goodall when he interviewed the chimp expert for British Vogue. Additionally, for that particular issue, Meghan Markle was the guest editor. When speaking with Dr. Goodall, Harry claimed that he and Meghan only planned to have “two children maximum,” for environmental reasons.

Goodall later told The Daily Mail that she was joking about the royal wave around baby Archie, and that Harry firmly responded, “No, he’s not growing up like that.”

According to Omid Scobie, co-author of a book about Meghan and Harry’s relationship, Markle’s final royal engagement was emotional. Scobie co-wrote Finding Freedom, a 2020 book that tells the story of the Sussexes.

He said, “Staff who had been with the couple from day one were mourning the end of what was supposed to be a happy story: two people fall in love, get married, have a baby, serve the Queen, the end. Instead, they were leaving the country.”

Scobie makes several other tantalizing claims in his book including that Meghan hugged him goodbye and tearfully said, “It didn’t have to be this way.” Furthermore, Finding Freedom says that Markle was unhappy that Queen Elizabeth stripped Prince Harry of his military appointments.

Supposedly, Markle said that “it’s not just taking something away from him, it’s also that entire military veteran community. You can see how much he means to them, too. So why? The powers [of the monarchy] are unfortunately greater than me.”

Since they will no longer be working as senior royals, Meghan and Harry need to find new ways to make money. Of course, for a Prince and a successful actress, this won’t be that difficult. Apparently, the couple has signed with an A-list speaking agency, and have already had some speaking engagements via video.

Meghan participated in an event for The 19th — a non-profit focused on empowering women. Markle took part from her new Montecito mansion.

Whilst Prince Harry moved to the US for the first time in his life, Meghan Markle was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. On returning to her home country, Markle said, “I haven’t lived in the states for 10 years.”

She continued, “To come back and to just see the state of affairs, I think at the onset, if I’m being honest, it was just devastating. It was just sad to see where our country was at that moment.”

Meghan Markle has always been vocal, which is one of the reasons that she was criticized in the UK. British royals are not expected to comment on politics, but Markle has spoken about governmental issues several times.

Speaking about recent protests in the US, Markle said, “It’s not new to see this […] unconscious bias, but I think to see the changes that are being made right now is really something that I look forward to being a part of.”

During Meghan’s speaking engagement with The 19th, viewers got their first glimpse of inside the Montecito mansion. The house allegedly cost $11.1 million — and has an arcade, a theater, a pool, a sauna, a cellar, a five-car garage, and a guest house. Unsurprisingly, the Sussexes will have complete privacy in their new home, as it’s located inside a gated community.

From what we could see of the inside of the house, the mansion also boasts stunning views of the Santa Barbara countryside.

Whilst Prince Harry and Meghan have moved away from their royal lifestyle, they’re still living a pretty lavish celebrity life in Los Angeles. Their new property in Montecito is on a 7.38-acre site, and is bordered by perfectly trimmed hedges.

As well as the main house, the property also has a two-bedroom guest house. This would be perfect for Markle’s mother, Doria, but somehow we can’t imagine the Queen resting her bejeweled here.

Whilst the Sussexes have moved thousands of miles away from Harry’s family, Meghan’s mother lives relatively close to their new abode. Doria lives in a neighborhood of L.A. in a house that she inherited from her father. Meghan’s mom’s house is around two hours away from the Montecito mansion, and is a more modest two-bedroom, two-bathroom property.

Prior to her daughter’s entry into the British royal family, Doria worked as a social worker for a mental health clinic.

Of course, living life between two continents can wreak havoc on your social calendar. Predictably, Prince Harry can no longer participate in a whole range of royal events, engagements, and traditions. For example, the Prince will miss William’s upcoming charity polo match because he will be in the US with his wife and son.

The King Power Royal Charity Polo Day is a high profile polo match, and has been enjoyed by the royals for 15 years.

We’ve seen that Meghan Markle hasn’t been treated well by the British press, and that probably has something to do with her late mother-in-law, Diana. Princess Diana came to be remembered as “the People’s Princess,” and was also polarizing, just like Markle.

Comparisons between the two royal women were heightened when Meghan stepped out wearing one of Diana’s diamond rings. The aquamarine diamond ring was left to William and Harry, and then passed on to Meghan.

It’s important to note that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren’t completely finished with the UK. In fact, they do plan to spend half of their time in each country, just not as senior working royals. Omid Scobie claimed on his royal podcast, The HeirPod, that the couple would be back in the UK to watch the Trooping of the Color.

Scobie also claimed that Harry and Meghan intend to be in the UK for the grand unveiling of the Princess Diana statue.

The Sussexes have already started finding work outside of the royal family, including several lucrative deals. The husband and wife have reportedly been offered a megadeal by streaming platform Spotify, where they would produce a series of podcasts. Former First Lady Michelle Obama also signed with Spotify following her exit from the White House and has been very successful.

For her part, Meghan has been back in the acting world, this time doing voiceover work for Disney nature documentary, Elephant.