- Prince Harry is reportedly scheduled to remain in London for a few more days to fulfill royal obligations while Duchess Meghan and their son Archie are in Canada.
- Harry is scheduled to host the Rugby League World 2021 draws at Buckingham Palace—an organization he's been a patron of since 2016.
While Meghan Markle is currently in Canada with baby Archie, Prince Harry still remains abroad in London. It was speculated that Harry would return to Meghan right after the completion of the queen’s royal family summit at Sandringham regarding the Sussexes’ decision to step down as senior members of the royal family. But Harry is set to remain in London for the time being for a few royal-related activities.
According to People, Prince Harry is scheduled to remain in the U.K. for at least the next few days because he's set to host the Rugby League World 2021 draws for the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair tournaments at Buckingham Palace. Harry has been a patron of the Rugby Football League since December 2016, after taking over the role from his grandmother, the queen.
Harry and Meghan were together in London early last last week for a joint visit to Canada House in order to meet with and thank Canada’s high commissioner and staff for the country's hospitality during their stay over the holidays. Shortly after their visit, the couple announced their decision to step down as senior members of the royal family—resulting in worldwide shock and an emergency family meeting summoned by the queen.
The meeting was intended for the monarch, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry—senior royals born into the family—which is why the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall were not in attendance, reported People. Duchess Meghan was expected to participate in the meeting via phone call, but it was ultimately decided her presence wasn’t necessary for the discussion.
After the discussion, the queen released a statement expressing her support of the Duke and Duchess’ decision.
“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,” read the sovereign's statement.
“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.”
Bianca Betancourt is the culture editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, where she covers all things film, TV, music, and more. When she's not writing, she loves impulsively baking a batch of cookies, re-listening to the same early-2000s pop playlist, and stalking Mariah Carey's Twitter feed.
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