Queen: I am 'entirely supportive' of Harry and Meghan

LONDON

In a dramatic statement for royals watchers worldwide, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on Monday said she is “entirely supportive” of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their decision to create a new life as a young family.

“Although we would have preferred 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,” the queen said in a statement following a family summit held at Sandringham.

The emergency crunch talk came following last week’s surprise announcement by the couple that they would divide their time between the U.K. and North America and seek to be financially independent.

“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives,” the queen added.

She also said “it has been agreed that there will be a period of transition” in which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend time in Canada and the U.K.

Elizabeth also asked for the final decisions to be reached in the coming weeks, according to the statement.

The duke and duchess of Sussex intend to step back as “senior members” of the British royal family, the couple said in a statement last week in an unprecedented announcement.

"After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution," the statement from Prince Harry and his wife Markle said.

"We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen," the couple added.

The statement came following local tabloid reports that the couple would renounce their royal titles and move to Canada, following a six-week long trip to Canada with their son Archie.

While the announcement was evidently a surprise for Buckingham Palace, many minorities in Britain said it was a long time coming, charging that the British press had taken a racist attitude towards Markle, a biracial American.