Is Prince George Considered A Senior Member of the Royal Family? – Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s shocking exit from the royal family has left fans wondering who is considered senior members of the monarchy. It is widely speculated that senior royals are those in direct line to the throne — but does that include Prince William’s oldest, son, Prince George? Here’s a look at what Harry and Meghan’s exit means for the royal line of succession.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shock the world
Harry and Meghan upended the royal family when they announced
their decision to step down on Instagram. The couple explained how they want to
become financially independent from the royal family and set up a second base
in North America.
“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. 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,”
they shared.
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“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. 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. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex added that they will continue to support the monarchy. They also plan to keep up their charitable endeavors, mainly through their new organization, Sussex Royal.
It is unclear how the pair will finance everything, as most of
their work has been paid for via Harry’s family. It will also be interesting to
see how closely Harry and Meghan work with William and Kate Middleton,
especially in light of their abrupt exit.
The couple’s note on social media was long, but it did not explain
what will happen to the line of succession now that Harry is bowing out. It
also raised questions about who is considered to be senior members of the royal
family.
A look at the royal line of succession
As the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Prince
Charles is the first in line to the throne. Charles recently turned 71 years
old and has waited longer than anyone to inherit the crown.
While Charles continues to wait for his turn at the head of the monarchy, Prince William is second in the royal line of succession. Once Charles takes the throne, William will likely be named the Prince of Wales and will take over his father’s duties at the Duchy of Cornwall.
Prince George, meanwhile, is third in line to the throne and will
someday become the King of the United Kingdom (assuming everything goes as
planned). Because George is in the direct line of succession, he is considered
to be a part of the inner circle of royals.
But because Prince George is only six years old, it will be a
long time before he starts taking on royal duties. Although Harry, who is sixth
in line, is stepping down from his royal duties, he does not lose his place in
the line of succession.
According to Oprah
Magazine, it will take an act of Parliament to kick Prince Harry off
the line of succession. While Harry will no longer be in the royal spotlight,
he will remain sixth in line to the throne.
Inside Prince George’s historic portrait
As a senior member of the royal family, Queen Elizabeth included
George in a historic portrait for the start of the new year.
The image, which was shared on social media, features Her Majesty
posing alongside Charles, William, and George.
The photo was snapped by photographer Ranald Mackechnie inside the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth shared a similar photo in 2016, which also marked her 90th birthday.
What’s the fallout from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s
decision?
Apart from Harry keeping his place in line to the throne, the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not expected to lose any of their titles. In
their statement, Harry and Meghan assured everyone that they will continue some
of their duties to the crown, which should keep their titles intact.
As far as their house is concerned, Harry and Meghan plan on
living inside Frogmore Cottage for the foreseeable future. On their official
website, the couple says that they will remain in Windsor for as long as Queen
Elizabeth gives them permission.
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The pair added that all of the renovations to Frogmore Cottage were in the works long before they decided to move in. They also said that it would have cost the royal family more money to renovate Kensington Palace.
Prince Harry and Meghan have not revealed how they plan on
funding their move to North America, though her connections in Hollywood will
likely play a part in them gaining financial freedom.
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