Here's why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were demoted on Royal website
Since quitting their titles and moving to the United States, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been demoted on the official royal family website. Earlier on 8 January, 2020, the famous 'Megxit' led Harry and Meghan to "step back as 'senior' members" of the royal family, split their time between the United Kingdom and North America and become financially independent.
On the official site, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now listed after Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex. Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, The Prince of Wales, rose to the top of www.royal.uk's 'royal family' section, reflecting his rising role as an active heir. The Sussexes were earlier placed below Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
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The Queen has been removed from the list and moved to a more prominent position on the page. Despite the move, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will still be 'balancing their time' between the UK and the US, according to the publication.
Why were Meghan Markle and Prince Harry demoted?
The announcement came as Prince Edward and his wife, the Countess of Wessex, gave their first significant interview since their 1999 wedding. The couple laughed over Harry and Meghan's contentious Oprah appearance, insisting that the royals are still a family "no matter what happens". Buckingham Palace told MailOnline that it had no comment on the website modification "other than that we refresh the website regularly". On the internet page, the princess royal was bumped up five positions to sit below the Duchess of Cambridge. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were moved to the bottom, right underneath the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
"They are continuing to honor their duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and their patronages," the website says of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. "Frogmore Cottage in the UK remains their family home. The Duchess will continue to support a number of charitable causes and organisations which reflect the issues with which she has long been associated including the arts, access to education, support for women and animal welfare," it went on to say.
When the official website went down for a short while, royal enthusiasts were perplexed, but as it was restored, they instantly noticed the alterations. "@KensingtonRoyal @RoyalFamily still have #meghanmarkle #princeharry in the royal website? Why? They are not working royals and they "aren't dividing their time between the UK and North America" why are they being promoted in the website?" said a netizen. "Why are they even on there now? They're not working royals. Beatrice and Eugenie aren't on there so why are the Sussexes?" said a second.
@KensingtonRoyal @RoyalFamily still have #meghanmarkle #princeharry in the royal website? Why? They are not working royals and they "aren't dividing their time between the UK and North America" why are they being promoted in the website? pic.twitter.com/wuqg9PaUbz
— Paula M (@gatitonic1968) June 4, 2021
Why are they even on there now? They're not working royals. Beatrice and Eugenie aren't on there so why are the Sussexes?
— Billybingbong (@Billybingbong2) June 5, 2021
The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral was Prince Harry's first visit to the United Kingdom since he and his wife Meghan resigned from their prominent royal jobs. Following the news that the Earl and Countess of Wessex will join Prince Charles in a slimmed-down monarchy, this is yet another blow. In the Wessexes' first public comments since that momentous day, Sophie explained: "We are still a family no matter what happens, we always will be."
