2020 relinquishment of "senior" royal status by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Harry and Meghan's withdrawal from senior royal duties in 2020 marked the first formal departure of working British royals seeking financial independence in the modern era.
Key Facts
- Announcement date
- 8 January 2020
- Sandringham Summit
- 13 January 2020
- Agreement announced
- 18 January 2020
- Review period allowed
- 12 months months
- Final confirmation
- 19 February 2021
- Coined term
- Megxit — Collins Dictionary Word of 2020 (top ten)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, sought to step back from the pressures and obligations of senior royal life, pursue financial independence, and divide their time between the United Kingdom and North America, citing a desire to forge their own path outside the constraints of the monarchy and its media environment.
On 8 January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced via Instagram their intention to relinquish their roles as senior working members of the British royal family. The decision prompted a royal family meeting at Sandringham on 13 January and a personal statement from Queen Elizabeth II, resulting in a formal agreement on 18 January under which the couple would no longer be working royals and would forgo their HRH styles.
The couple permanently stepped down as working royals, relinquishing all royal patronages as confirmed by Buckingham Palace in February 2021. The episode, widely termed 'Megxit', entered popular culture and was added to Collins English Dictionary's top-ten words of 2020. It signalled a lasting public break from the institution and the couple's pursuit of an independent commercial identity under a new brand.