The Duchess of Sussex is currently in Canada with eight-month-old son Archie, but the Duke has remained in the UK, following the announcement that they would be stepping back as senior members of the royal family.
Fans might be wondering why Prince Harry, 35, has not yet flown to Canada after the summit with the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cambridge in Sandringham on Monday. The reason why the Duke has remained in the UK is because he has an engagement to attend on Thursday 16 January.
READ: The real reason Meghan Markle didn't join the Queen and royal family at crisis talks
© Photo: Getty ImagesHarry at the The Rugby League Challenge Cup Final in August 2019
Harry will host the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draws for the men's, women’s and wheelchair tournaments at Buckingham Palace, which will be streamed live across the royal family and Rugby League World Cup 2021's social media channels. The Duke was announced as Patron of the Rugby Football League in December 2016, succeeding the Queen, who previously held the role for 64 years.
Buckingham Palace released a statement from the Queen on Monday evening, following discussions about Harry and Meghan's future. It read: "Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
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"Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK. These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days."
It was thought that Meghan would dial into the meeting via a conference call from Canada, but palace sources have since confirmed this was not the case, saying: "The Sussexes decided that it wasn’t necessary for The Duchess to join." Harry is expected to fly to Canada to be with his wife and son shortly after Thursday's engagement.
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