Who Are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are some of the most famous members of the British royal family. They got married in 2018, and this event was a big moment for culture and the royals. It drew attention from people all over the world. To understand why they left their official jobs, we should first look at their early roles, wedding, and start in royal life.
Their Wedding and Start in Royal Life in 2018
According to the Wikipedia entry “Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle,” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married in a Christian ceremony using the Church of England’s Common Worship liturgy, part of the Anglican Communion’s mother church.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Senior royals, world leaders, and famous people came to the event. TV showed the wedding, and hundreds of millions of people around the world watched it.
At the time, Harry was sixth in line for the British throne. Meghan Markle was an American actress best known for her role in the TV show Suits. After they married, she left her acting career and began life as a royal. She ended her acting contracts and agreed to represent the royal family at official events.
The wedding showed a big change for the royal family. Meghan became the first woman of mixed race to join the royals in modern times. Many people called this a sign that the royals were becoming more modern.
Royal Titles and First Jobs
On their wedding day, Queen Elizabeth II gave Harry the title Duke of Sussex. Meghan got the title Duchess of Sussex. These titles showed their official place in the royal family. They became working royals with certain tasks.
As Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they did public events in the United Kingdom and other countries. They represented the royal family at government events, charity work, and royal trips. They also supported groups. Meghan helped places like Smart Works, which aids women in finding jobs, and the Mayhew, which cares for animals.
Harry kept strong ties to the military. He served as Captain General of the Royal Marines, a job he got from his grandfather, Prince Philip, in 2017. He also backed projects on mental health and hurt veterans, including the Invictus Games, which he started in 2014.
Together, the couple became known around the world for their work. They focused on social issues like mental health awareness, equal rights for men and women, and community help. But from the start of their royal jobs, the media paid a lot of attention to them. This later became a key reason they chose to step back from top roles.
Why Did They Step Back in 2020?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said in January 2020 that they would step back as top members of the royal family. This choice came after growing problems with the media, fights with palace rules, and issues over freedom.
Media Pressure and Tabloid Attacks
The couple pointed to constant media watching as a main reason for leaving. Meghan Markle faced ongoing bad stories from British tabloids. These reports focused on her family background, private life, and ties with staff.
In 2019, Prince Harry put out a statement that blamed some newspapers for bullying and bothering Meghan. He said the stories were nonstop and hurt their family’s well-being.
They also worried about privacy. Meghan sued British publishers over sharing private letters, and Harry took legal steps over claims of phone hacking. These court fights showed their wish to protect their personal lives from public eyes.
Fights Over Sussex Royal Name
Harry and Meghan tried to build their own name with “SussexRoyal.” They wanted to use it for their charity group and online sites. But Buckingham Palace stopped them from using it after they left top duties. Palace leaders said the word “royal” could not go in business names outside the royal family.
This block upset the couple. They had already spent time on SussexRoyal social media and a website. Losing the name made them change their plans with new projects, like the Archewell Foundation. The fight showed bigger problems about mixing freedom with royal rules.
Lack of Freedom in Royal Life
Another reason for their choice was the limits of royal life. Top royals must get approval for talks, projects, and public shows. These rules cut Harry and Meghan’s power to run their work on their own. Reports said they wanted more freedom to do world projects on issues like mental health and equal rights for men and women.
Financial freedom also pushed them to leave. As working royals, they got funds from the Sovereign Grant and money from the then Prince of Wales. By stepping back, they planned to earn money through business deals while paying for their own safety and costs. This move brought both chances and problems for how people saw them.
What Changed in Their Royal Roles?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s exit from top royal duties in 2020 changed their roles, titles, and tasks. These shifts affected them and their kids.
Loss of HRH Titles and Military Jobs
After stepping back, Harry and Meghan kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. But they no longer used “His Royal Highness” or “Her Royal Highness” in official ways.
Prince Harry also lost his honorary military jobs. These included Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington, and Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving. Other working royals later got these jobs. This choice broke Harry’s long ties to the military, which had been key to his royal self.
Kids’ Titles as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet
When King Charles III became king in September 2022, Archie and Lilibet could use the titles “Prince” and “Princess” under rules set by King George V in 1917. In March 2023, Buckingham Palace updated its website to show these changes.
Archie became Prince Archie of Sussex, and Lilibet became Princess Lilibet of Sussex. This step made their places in the royal line official. It also showed how their roles changed after Harry and Meghan left top duties. While the parents’ royal jobs got smaller, the kids kept family rights under old royal rules.
Where Do Harry and Meghan Live Now?
Since leaving top royal duties, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made their main home in the United States. Their move showed a wish for more privacy, freedom, and control over family life.
Move to California in June 2020
Harry and Meghan moved to California in June 2020, soon after they said they would step back as top royals. Reports said the couple wanted more privacy and less media attention.
The area also gave chances to build business projects and work with media groups. They picked Southern California for lifestyle reasons and to be near work contacts and charity opportunities.
Leaving Frogmore Cottage in 2023
In 2023, Buckingham Palace said Harry and Meghan had to leave Frogmore Cottage, their UK home on the Windsor land. Queen Elizabeth II gave them the cottage as a wedding gift. They fixed it up with their own money and later paid back the Crown Estate.
The place has old meaning, built in the early 1800s for Queen Charlotte. They stopped using it as their UK base after leaving, which showed fewer formal ties to the royal family.
Family Life in Montecito, California
Harry and Meghan now live in Montecito, California, a spot known for privacy and rich neighbors. The home gives space for their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to grow away from royal limits.
Montecito lets the couple mix public work, like their Archewell Foundation and media projects, with private family time. Their house is now the center of their life after royals, blending quiet time with job goals.
How Do Harry and Meghan Earn Money?
Since leaving top royal duties, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have built ways to make money through charity, books, media deals, and brand projects. These help their giving goals and money freedom.
Archewell Foundation and Charity Work
Harry and Meghan started the Archewell Foundation in 2020. The group focuses on community help, mental health, and safe online use. It has teamed up with places like World Central Kitchen and Project Healthy Minds.
The foundation runs as a nonprofit and funds projects for good. Its work stresses aid to people, help for young folks, and media teaching.
Netflix and Media Deals
In 2020, the couple signed a big-money deal with Netflix for content. The deal lets Netflix make shows, stories, and kids’ programs through Archewell Productions.
Key projects include Harry & Meghan, which talked about their royal life, and Heart of Invictus, about the Invictus Games.
In August 2025, the couple’s company Archewell Productions renewed its partnership with Netflix with a “multi-year, first-look deal,” but the acceptance is yet to be done from Netflix. This is a less exclusive arrangement than their original 2020 deal and was not a cancellation. Projects include the docuseries Harry & Meghan, Heart of Invictus, and the lifestyle show With Love, Meghan.
Meghan’s Lifestyle Brand As Ever
In February 2025, Meghan changed her lifestyle company name to As Ever. The brand sells items like jam, tea mixes, cookie mixes, and flower sprinkles.
The project builds on Meghan’s past work in health and food. It shows her focus on mixing products with lifestyle ideas.
Harry’s Book Spare Published in 2023
Prince Harry’s book Spare came out in January 2023 from Penguin Random House. The book covers his childhood, military time, and tough family ties.
It sold fast as a nonfiction book, with over 1.4 million copies on day one in different forms. Harry promised to give money from sales, including £1.18 million to Sentebale and £300,000 to WellChild.
What Legal Fights Have They Faced?
Prince Harry has taken part in several court cases in the United Kingdom. These focus on safety rights and fights against press actions.
UK Court Cases on Safety Rights
Harry fought the choice to take away police protection paid by taxes after he left royal duties. The UK High Court ruled against him in February 2024. It said the Home Office acted in a legal way.
The ruling said safety for non-working royals comes from a group for protecting royals and public people. Harry said less safety put him and his family in danger during UK visits.
Suits Against British Newspapers
Harry has started many suits against British tabloids for phone hacking and privacy breaches. In December 2023, the High Court ruled that Mirror Group Newspapers did illegal info gathering and gave money to Harry.
He also sued Associated Newspapers, which makes the Daily Mail, for wrong data collection. These cases keep going, with meetings set into 2025.
How Is Their Tie With the Royal Family Now?
Prince Harry’s links with the royal family stay tense, but some talks continue. Public words and recent shows point to both tries at fixing things and ongoing splits.
Harry’s Calls for Fixing Things in 2025
In a 2025 BBC talk, Harry said he was open to mending family ties. He hoped “time and honest talks” would build trust. These words came after guesses about his return to the UK for some events.
Short Meetings With King Charles
Harry met King Charles for a short time in early 2024 after the King’s cancer news. Reports said they met again in 2025 during Harry’s quick UK trip. These meetings were private and brief, showing slow steps toward contact.
Ongoing Problems With Prince William
Ties between Harry and Prince William stay broken. Media stories in 2024 and 2025 said they talk little and still disagree on old issues. Royal news people note their public plans rarely match, showing continued space.