Harry & Meghan stepping back from RF

Totally agree with Luckygirl.

I wonder how many of us would want to continue doing a job where our partner was continually being attacked in the media and online? It seems as soon as it became clear Harry and Meghan were serious about each other the unpleasantness started, that did stop for a while for the wedding but returned with a vengence soon after.

As for the cost of their protection - he is at risk simply because of who he is, or would people prefer to read about his assassination or about Archie being kidnapped?

I am with Luckygirl on this. No one chooses the parents or situation they are born into. Wealth and privilege may seem attractive, but they carry onerous responsibilities including loss of freedom, and how many would really want to spend their life in a gilded cage?
I don't blame Megan, once reality dawned, for not wanting to become a "Stepford wife" in this weird family, and just hope it works out for them both.
I think once the queen goes, the RF will decline anyway.

If this really meant giving up all tax payer funding, titles and privileges, and never seeing them on the telly again then I'm all for it.
But the cynic in me says this is only the beginning of the H & M show!

How disrespectful to the Queen to make your announcement on social media. I really do not think they thought this through, there are strict guidelines for how you conduct yourself.
Sadly the security, for this couple, does fall to the Met police and the Royal protection team. It is written that wherever they are no matter how estranged they will be protected at the taxpayers expense.
We all know the story of Edward and Mrs Simpson but I think Meghan is way more manipulative than Wallis was.
The Royal family will be finished when the Queen dies so probably none of this matters except we will be still taking care of freeloaders.

It's a simple contract. We pay their bills (one way or another) and they provide us with nice pictures.
If they don't like it, then clear off.....but pay their own security, re pay our millions spent on Frogmore 'Cottage', relinquish titles etc.
I'd love to say I'm financially independent, whilst receiving £5millio a year from my dad.

I think its a good thing.
The pressure from the press will never go away if they don't step down and only get worse
I do believe Harry suffered as a young boy from this when he lost his mum and deep down probably sees them as a threat to his family so is trying to protect them

Planning to be...? He is a multi millionaire! I hoped he’d be paying back the taxpayer millions he spent on his ‘cottage’ personally.

They don't want out - they want the best of both worlds on terms that suit them and to hell with duty or family, and there's a big difference.

If only they did "want out"
This is not the way you go about it if you want to slip out of the public eye.

Good luck to them.

Luckygirl - yes, just how I feel.

Why does anyone wonder why they want out?

My sentiments exactly. I wish them well.

& while other minor Royals live quite privately unless theyre dressed up for a Royal event or breaking the law, the public wailing about how hard being in the public eye is, is totally disingenuous

They chose a royal wedding
MM chose to say (of us!) "They dont have to like me they just have to listen to what I have to say"

They certainly DO chose the public eye, they just want to take and not give!

Even this stunt! It could have been done quietly. They CHOSE to have this play out publically instead.

Agreed Luckygirl. Well said.

Let's just give them a break and concentrate on the good things they do charity-wise. They use their celebrity for good things.

They do very little charity wise compared to other Royals!
Charles has always done the most and has a great work ethic.
Despite Harrys bleating, it is William who does real work with mental health charities
Despite MMs initial promise to bring attention to feminist issues, shes shied right away from any of the grittier aspects of womens issues, chosing instead the fun gigs, like being guest designer for a day at a charity for women seeking employment. A great charity no doubt, but she had her fun there and got bored moved on. Meanwhile Kate continues to works hard supporting charities that get girls involved in sport.

Supporting charities in a meaningful way is a long term slog, not a photo op and a fun day out on front of the cameras

Does Anne stand about shaking hands and smiling? Is this all
she has done ?

To my mind, things seemed to go downhill as soon as she became pregnant. It would probably have been better to have waited a couple of years before starting a family, to give them both time to adjust to their new joint life, but can well imagine they couldn’t wait to have a baby, especially as Meghan was in her mid 30’s. Their lives have changed dramatically in the last two years.
I think Meghan’s ‘new’ life is not what she expected, being a royal not the same as being a celebrity.
The Queen, Charles and William should have been consulted before this announcement was made, but it was obvious what the reaction was going to be, so it was a ‘fait accompli’.

A lot of the comments on here are very similar to what the media have been saying about Meghan and Harry. Why does anyone wonder why they want out? He didn't choose to be born into that family and, although he's benefitted from the money, he's certainly not had the privacy that most of us take for granted. He couldn't even mourn his mother in private but had to do that very public walk when only a child. You can no more blame him for being born into money that you can blame another child for being born into poverty. He doesn't want to do the job and has to listen to horrible comments about his wife with no come back. I don't blame them for escaping. Yes, they're rich. Yes, they'll always be in the public eye simply because of who they are but they have more chance of a relatively normal 'rich person' lifestyle abroad than they do here. The Royal Family is dysfunctional in so many ways. Perhaps they're trying to protect Archie from it.

O'h help just reading the paper this morning and see the James Hewitt stuff is raising its head again!!

H & M ... leaving! Good! I do hope that the British public will soon not have to pay for their security! Our police force certainly need any extra money available! Also they should renounce their royal titles HRH etc. Else the titles will be used to help finance their lifestyles!

I do think they should have had the courtesy to discuss this matter with the Queen or Prince Charles. Shows a complete lack of respect.

Let them lead their own lives in another country but we should not be contributing at all. Ok to say they are self financing, aren’t we all but we don’t need security like they do. What about the carbon footprints that they’re so fond of going on about? All extra when you’re going backwards and forwards to this country in order to fulfil six months of obligations? The six months may not apply to when they actually are here for that time. To be honest it will create a massive headache, but not for them!

They are of no importance to anyone except the press.
Meghan is obviously unhappy being a Royal rather than a Celebrity so go away and support yourselves. There is no reason they should cost the British taxpayer a single penny.