2020 has been a tumultuous year for the House of Windsor. Actually, 2019 was, as well. The Queen dubbed 1992 her annus horribilis, but I do have to wonder in 2019/2020 will take that sad top spot. The family is in a precarious spot, and there are many moving parts. It’s not simple, and it never will be. As someone who has been royal watching for nearly 20 years now, I can say firmly, it is unprecedented. I think as an historian, we will certainly be studying this in 30 to 40 years. So, what is in store for the British Royal Family in 2020?
I am writing this as a royal watcher, and an individual, not as an historian. I’ve been following the royals since I was 11, and I’ve seen them go through quite a lot. I’ve had many friends, family, and followers asking my thoughts, so I’ve gathered them here! And if you would like some background reading on the modern Windsors, check out my book recommendations here!
The Sussexes Step Back
On 8 January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement announcing that they would be stepping down as senior members of the royal family. They want to work towards financial independence, and carve out a new path, while supporting the Queen. The statement itself was remarkable for several reasons. Firstly, there is no set definition of a senior royal, and can you step down from it? Harry will always be the grandson/ son/ brother of a monarch. Secondly, with an estimated fortune of £23,000,000 between the two of them, what does “working towards financial independence”? Thirdly, did the Queen know that this was going to happen when it did? And finally, how will they be splitting their time? Well, over a week later, we still don’t have answers. As of 18 January, we have answers!
In full, here are the statements that the Queen and Buckingham Palace have released:
Statement from HM The Queen
Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.
Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.
I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.
I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.
It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.
ENDS
Statement from Buckingham Palace
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments. They will no longer receive public funds for Royal duties.
With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.
The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home.
Buckingham Palace does not comment on the details of security arrangements. There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly-funded security.
This new model will take effect in the Spring of 2020.
ENDS
So, we have answers. They will no longer use their HRH titles, and will no longer represent the Queen in an official capacity. I suspected that the “half-in, half-out” concept would prove problematic, so I’m not entirely surprised by this. What this means for what they will actually do going forward, I don’t know though. In any case, I hope that they feel lighter and have more freedom.
The Sandringham Summit
After the bombshell statement was dropped, Buckingham Palace released their own statement explaining that nothing had been settled. The Queen asked the Prince of Wales and the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex to meet with her at Sandringham to settle the details. They met on 13 January 2020 in the afternoon, and after a couple of hours, the parties emerged and went on their way. The Queen released a unique statement, coming from herself rather than Buckingham Palace, and emphasised that it was a family matter. It also confirmed that the Sussexes would be relocating partially to Canada.
Who Will Pay for Security?
As soon as it was confirmed that Harry and Meghan were relocating to Canada, the questions started flying. The British public is quite concerned (rightfully) with who is going to be paying for their security in Canada. Their initial statement on 8 January specified that they would no longer accept the Sovereign Grant (money from the government), but that is only 5% of their income. The remaining 95% comes from the Prince of Wales, via the Duchy of Cornwall’s earnings. Some people argue that that is private funding, and as such is fine. Others argue that it because it comes with the position of Prince of Wales, it isn’t exactly private funding, and they shouldn’t be paid from it. As of today, 18 January 2020, there is no comment on it from either government.
Overall, Canadians were okay with the Sussexes arriving here, but also immediately the question was asked: are Canadians expected to cover the cost of their security? If so, the large majority of Canadians are not thrilled with them. They have chosen to come here, and as such, it is their responsibility to pay for their security. And the Canadian government has yet to make a firm statement either. I am guessing that it means that it has not been settled yet, either.
Why Did This Happen- The Press
This is something that I really struggle with. The Sussexes have absolutely faced unfair and racist treatment, the British press has unflinchingly applied pressure. Meghan in particular has faced a high level of criticism, with a few reporters even making racist statements about their son. It is harder to see from North America, only because our media takes quite a different approach. However, if you look for it, you can see it plainly.
The racist element is new, but sadly the negative and critical treatment is not. Diana was dragged through the coals, and Sarah, the Duchess of York, also faced horrific treatment. (Duchess of Pork, anyone?) And Catherine didn’t escape it, either. She was followed home at 2am by paparazzi, and routinely had a dozen or more waiting outside her home every morning. However, press covereage really changed in 2010. You will notice that we rarely see any paparazzi shots of any of the senior royals. We don’t see pictures of Harry and Meghan in Windsor, heading to yoga. Or William and Catherine on the school run. Perhaps once a month, but nothing else.
I have to wonder if it has to do with the style of press that Meghan would have been used to. (Not that this is all Meghan, I will address that later.) The North American press is much friendlier, and offers much more control to the subject. You decide who will interview you when, and what questions they will ask you. Positive press can easily be generated. It is an entirely different planet from the British media. I do have to question what she thought would happen. She specifically said that her British friends warned her. Meghan is an intelligent woman, she has proven her business sense and ability to adapt. Did she assume that they would be exempt from the British press, or that her friends were lying? It is unclear.
It also is a difficult situation, because there is no clear answer. Many commentators have said that the Sussexes deserve 100% privacy, and that we can’t expect to see anything of them. Realistically though, many members of the public expect to see the royal family. How much you should see ranges, but overall, the sentiment is that we would like to see them occasionally. I think the Cambridges have struck a good balance, with releasing occasional family photos and school portraits, while still staying largely private. I certainly don’t need pictures of the royals shopping or barbequeing, or anything extreme. But they are public figures, like it or not. They could absolutely become private citizens, that option is open to them. They don’t appear to be taking it though, for whatever reasons. Addition: Now with the 18 January statement, it is still unclear. They retain the Sussex title but not the HRH. There are non-royal dukes, so they may live as they do (mostly privately).
**Note: There have been countless comparisons to the press that the late Princess of Wales faced. That is really apples and oranges, though. The press landscape was very different, and it was Diana’s death that led to those changes. It also discounts the fact that the Princess of Wales often asked paparazzi to photograph her out and about, and leaked a lot herself. It is a complex and hard-to-understand relationship, but I don’t think that any of the current royals have a similar relationship with the press now.
Why Did This Happen- The Royal Family
There has been quite a bit of speculation that this is happening because of rifts within the royal family. Some people theorise it is because Meghan was never fully welcomed into the family, and the couple wasn’t truly supported. Others guess that it is because the family covered up Prince Andrew’s friendship with Epstein. I’m not here to speculate either way, but I think we can definitively say there has been a break down somewhere. If the family issues are behind this, I could understand why Harry felt that this move was necessary.
Neither the Queen, Prince of Wales, nor Duke of Cambridge had the 8 January statement more than an hour before it was released. It is believed that Harry had broached the subject with the family earlier, but it was still in the beginning stages. For whatever reason, the Sussexes decided to push it regardless. The public, particularly in the UK, has taken issue with this, and finds it quite disrespectful to the Queen. While I don’t believe that we should be privy to the family’s inner-workings, I can understand why people feel that way. It is sad to see a family separate like this, and it must be difficult beyond belief for them.
What Will Harry and Meghan Actually Do?
This still remains largely in the air. Nothing has been confirmed- as of 17 January, Harry is still in the UK, and Meghan is in Canada. The Duchess has been visiting a few different groups in the Vancouver area. While I think that it is wonderful for these organisations, it doesn’t sit quite right, given that they have just unexpectedly left their UK patronages. Yes, they are still currently patrons, but with them being gone from the UK for at least part of the year, I have to wonder if their UK patronages will now receive the same level of support. Hopefully, for the UK groups, we will see some concrete news and see them still fully supported.
We don’t know how they are actually going to earn money, and how their titles will fit in with that. Royals cannot benefit financially from their title. With a few exceptions, it is why you don’t see “Duke of Cambridge deodorent” or anything like that. Harry and Meghan have trademarked “Sussex Royal”, and we don’t know what they will do with that yet. Can they sell merchandise? We don’t know; I’m guessing that is still being ironed out, as well.
It has been suggested that they will do something like the Obamas, like book deals and speaking engagements. However, and no disrespect to Harry and Meghan, I don’t think that they are in the same position as the Obamas, yet. Both Michelle and Barack were practising lawyers, and have decades of experience in different levels and arenas of politics. Harry and Meghan are only at the beginning of their journey, so I don’t think that path necessarily fits. Because this is such a unique situation, I really don’t know what to expect.
The Historian’s Role in All of This
I have to say, historians have been the most diappointing to me in all of this. Several historians that I admire and respect have essentially turned into soothsayers, predicting what the future holds. Whenever you study history, you hear almost immediately, we cannot use the past to predict the future. History doesn’t actually repeat itself, not truly. There is always a different element or issue at play. I have written this piece as a royal water, not as an historian.
You can’t look at Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson as an example, because Harry wasn’t set to be king ever. (There also isn’t an impending world war where said individuals are risking national security.) And several historians have referenced Princess Patricia, which seems a ridiculous comparison. She was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and relinquished her title upon marriage to live privately. However, when she did this in 1919, royals were never expected to earn a living. They were still a part of the landed gentry whose estates and investments funded everything, and didn’t have insane security costs. It is not a useful comparison in the least.
Looking Forward for the British Royal Family in 2020
I am hopeful that things will settle down for the Sussexes, and that they can build a life that they are happy with. Unfortunately, I don’t think the media attention is going to drop- the royals enjoy much more control than your normal celebrity. As we have already seen several paparazzi shots of Meghan, it looks set to continue.
I don’t know if interest will stay as high, long term, though. The Duchess of York isn’t a massive celebrity anymore, despite doing several Weight Watchers campaigns and periodically releasing books. We cannot say with the late Princess of Wales if it would have maintained in later life. While I think that a drop in attention would be perfect for them as a family unit, it may prove more difficult in terms of branding/earning potential (depending on what direction they go in).
In any case, I think the next few months and the rest of the year will give us more answers. Both in terms of concrete answers, such as who will pay for security, and looser questions, as in what direction they are heading. Hopefully wherever it ends up, it is the best place for them as a family. And as the remaining senior Royals regroup and figure out their new roles, hopefully they can all adjust and embrace it moving forward.
♠
What are your thoughts on the British Royal Family in 2020? And on the Sussex news/settlement?
Cheers,
The Historian
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