It's official, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have cut ties with the Royal Foundation. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will continue to head the charitable organisation, renamed the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, while Harry and Meghan will set up their own Foundation to support their own causes.
The Royal Foundation said the decision was made following the conclusion of a review into its structure. They said both couples will continue to work together in the future, including on the Heads Together mental health campaign. The decision was taken to "better align" their charitable activities, they added.
William and Harry established the Royal Foundation in 2009. The change comes after Harry and Meghan broke away from William and Kate's household to create their own in March. The Sussexes' team is based at Buckingham Palace, while William and Kate have kept their office at Kensington Palace.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Cambridges and the Sussexes have divided their charity work
The split was to be expected and comes shortly after William and Harry held a Royal Foundation trustees' meeting at Kensington Palace on Wednesday to finalise the details. The split in their household has already been reflected in the royals' correspondence. When William and Kate sent thank you notes to fans who had celebrated Prince Louis' first birthday in April, their letter was addressed from "The Office of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge." That line would have previously read: "The Office of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and TRH The Duke and Duchess Of Sussex."
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In March, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the two royal couples would split their households. "The Queen has agreed to the creation of a new Household for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, following their marriage in May last year," the statement noted. "The Household, which will be created with the support of The Queen and The Prince of Wales, will be established in the spring."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe split was first confirmed in March
It concluded: "The Queen has given permission for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to base their Household Office at Buckingham Palace. Their Royal Highnesses will appoint new communications staff, who will form part of the Buckingham Palace communications team and report to The Queen’s Communications Secretary, Donal McCabe."
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Last October, The Sunday Times' royal correspondent Roya Nikkhah broke the news that the brothers would soon part ways. Roya wrote that Harry and Meghan were expected to move out of Kensington Palace and also create a new household to reflect their different responsibilities and support their own charities and causes.
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