Megxit facts for kids
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In January 2020, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, made a big announcement. They shared on Instagram that they would "step back" from being "senior" members of the British royal family. This meant they wanted to spend their time living in both the United Kingdom and North America. They also wanted to become financially independent, meaning they would earn their own money.
This decision was quickly called Megxit. This new word combines "Meghan" and "exit." It also sounds like Brexit, which was the UK's exit from the European Union. The name "Megxit" became very popular around the world. People used it on social media and in the news. It even led to many Internet memes and products.
After their announcement, the royal family held an important meeting on January 13. This meeting was called the "Sandringham Summit." It was a very unusual event. Queen Elizabeth II made a special statement about her family. Many people praised her for handling the situation quickly. On January 18, an agreement was reached. Harry and Meghan would "no longer be working members of Britain's royal family." They also agreed not to use their "Royal Highness" titles.
The Collins English Dictionary even added "Megxit" to its online dictionary. It was one of the top words of 2020. The couple had a year to change their minds if they wanted to. But on February 19, 2021, Buckingham Palace confirmed their decision. Harry and Meghan would give up their royal patronages (special roles with charities). This was because they were not returning as working royals. Their decision showed they were breaking away from royal traditions. They planned to become independent under a new brand, which was first called Sussex Royal.
However, on February 21, 2020, it was confirmed that "Sussex Royal" would not be used as their brand name. Harry and Meghan planned to start a non-profit organisation later in 2020. Their old foundation, Sussex Royal Foundation, was renamed MWX Foundation on August 5, 2020, and then closed down the same day.
What Changed for Harry and Meghan?
This section explains the main changes for Prince Harry and Meghan.
- No Longer Represent the Queen: The couple would no longer carry out official duties for the Queen. This was different from their earlier statement. They had first said they would still do some duties for the Queen.
- Keeping Titles, Not Using Them: They would still have the Royal Highness style. However, they agreed not to use it in their daily lives or for official purposes.
- Becoming Financially Independent: Harry and Meghan would no longer get money from the British government (exchequer). They also agreed to pay back £2.4 million. This money was used to renovate their home, Frogmore Cottage.
- Ending Military Duties: Harry would stop his duties for all British military roles. This included being Captain General Royal Marines. He would also no longer officially represent the royal family at military events.
Other Important Details
Here are some more details about their new arrangements.
- Living in North America: The couple decided to spend most of their time living in North America.
- Frogmore Cottage as UK Home: Frogmore Cottage would remain their home in the UK. However, they would pay a "commercial rent" for it, like any other tenant.
- Keeping Private Roles: They would keep their private patronages and associations. For example, Harry would continue his work with the Invictus Games. But they would not keep their royal ones, like Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.
- Continued Financial Support: Prince Charles (now King Charles III) would continue to give them some financial support.
In October 2023, Byline Times reported that King Charles stopped giving Harry and Meghan £700,000 in funding. This change meant they were no longer part of the Sandringham Agreement. This led them to seek commercial deals in the USA.
Public Reactions to Megxit
People had different reactions to the announcement.
When the news broke on January 8, many people in Britain were surprised. They wondered if Harry and Meghan had thought through their decision carefully. This story was the main topic in British news for a while.
The British prime minister, Boris Johnson, did not want to comment much on the news. He said, "The royal family is one of the great, great assets of this country. I'm sure they are going to sort it out and I don't think it's necessarily helped by commentary from me."
