Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially private (albeit very famous) citizens, which means neither Buckingham Palace nor their former palace communications staff will offer commentary on their schedule, philanthropic efforts or personal lives. Yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s spokesperson made a statement clarifying this much—but we couldn’t help but notice a little grey area.
The spokesperson released a memo saying, “Buckingham Palace will no longer comment/guide on Sussex related enquiries,” but there was no specific mention of Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family.
Since the 35-year-old Duke of Sussex and his 38-year-old wife announced their intention to step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family, Her Majesty has been candid, kind and exact in her feelings about their departure. The 93-year-old monarch has continued to show support for them, wishing them a happy birthday and debuting a never-before-seen photo of the couple in one of her reception rooms. She even issued a rare statement saying, “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.” She went on to say she respects and understands “their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
She’s made it clear she supports the couple in their new endeavors and that their change in station will not impact their place in her family. Because of that, it’s safe to say she may continue to make non-official statements about them (perhaps via Instagram), even if she doesn’t allow her team to field “official” questions about them.
