# Prince Harry and Meghan "Quitting " royal family **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139 "2020-01-08T20:18:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/21 "2020-01-09T11:10:58Z")
He’s got his military pension, she has residuals, I think those poor kids will survive… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/22 "2020-01-09T11:31:16Z")
I imagine they will put together some kind of two-hander and eventually set up a residency at one of the big Las Vegas hotels. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/23 "2020-01-09T11:57:07Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > After all, he’s not the heir, but merely the spare. And one of dubious lineage, at that. Dubious lineage? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/24 "2020-01-09T12:19:17Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Dubious lineage? I assume it’s a reference to the myth that his birth in 1984 was the result of an affair in 1986. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/25 "2020-01-09T12:37:21Z")
a lot of stuff explained here Also I read they are going to be in her hometown of LA, not Canada > **[Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Address Every Question About Bombshell...](https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry-address-every-question-about-bombshell-announcement-see-them-all/)** > > Meghan Markle and Prince Harry anticipated that there would be hundreds of questions following their groundbreaking decision to "step back as senior members of the Royal Family" ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/26 "2020-01-09T12:53:08Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > He’s got his military pension, she has residuals, I think those poor kids will survive… Not sure he qualifies, didn’t serve long enough. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/27 "2020-01-09T13:06:35Z")
I’ve been bingeing on _The Crown_ and I was thinking about how the Royals live their lives on display. Every word, gesture, and glance is scrutinized - I expect at some point, they’re afraid to scratch their noses! I doubt Harry and Meghan will sink into anonymity, but maybe they can find a sense of “normal” away from rest… maybe. So glad I come from peasant stock. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/28 "2020-01-09T13:25:03Z")
They won’t be able to avoid the press in LA which is probably the world capital of paparazzi. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/29 "2020-01-09T13:30:42Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > He’s got his military pension, she has residuals, I think those poor kids will survive… Their lifestyle (so far at least) is fairly lavish. And who is going to pay for their security team? It’s not clear how this is going to work. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/30 "2020-01-09T13:35:17Z")
My link above says they cannot earn money like regular people even after this change. Also says security still paid by UK government. And reports says Charles and William are very ticked off by this . ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/31 "2020-01-09T13:46:07Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > I assume it’s a reference to the myth that his birth in 1984 was the result of an affair in 1986. Ah, so it will be stated as incontrovertible fact in a season 4 episode of “The Crown”. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/32 "2020-01-09T13:54:31Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > My link above says they cannot earn money like regular people even after this change. Also says security still paid by UK government. So how will they support themselves without earning money “like regular people”? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/33 "2020-01-09T14:32:28Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > In twenty years, Prince Harry will in the awkward position of Prince Andrew now, unimportant and without a real job. Better to do this, go to Canada, raise a fine son, do what you can to help your family from time to time. I think you’re on to something here; I’m sure Harry saw Andrew’s position/life trajectory outside of the Epstein-related stuff, and thought that he didn’t want any part of that (I have a feeling Harry and Andrew would have happily stayed in the military for life, had they let them), and decided that some distance might be just the thing to change that. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/34 "2020-01-09T14:36:48Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > My link above says they cannot earn money like regular people even after this change. Also says security still paid by UK government. Where does it say they can’t earn money after the change? Everything I see says they “currently” can’t earn money - presumably meaning before they withdraw: “In addition, they value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing. For this reason they have made the choice to become members of the Royal Family with financial independence.” “Do The Duke and Duchess of Sussex earn income? No, under the current structure and financing arrangements, they are prohibited from earning any income in any form.” It’s clear from the article that they’re saying that as things are now, they can’t earn money, which is one reason why they’re doing this. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/35 "2020-01-09T14:40:06Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Not sure he qualifies, didn’t serve long enough. I was being facetious. He _is_ entitled to a (small) pension , but he only gets it when he’s at retirement age. On the other hand, he _only_ inherited £10 million from Diana’s estate a while back, so I’m sure the dole queue is just weeks away. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/36 "2020-01-09T14:47:30Z")
they trademarked Sussex Royal so I guess that will be an income source [Sussex Royal: Harry and Meghan want to trademark their brand | CNN Business](https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/09/business/harry-meghan-trademark-sussex-royal-gbr-intl-scli/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/37 "2020-01-09T14:49:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > So how will they support themselves without earning money “like regular people”? I read the article linked above, and admit I found some of it unclear. Specifically, what amount of the Queen’s/royal family’s wealth/income/lifestyle expenses reflect personal property vs public subsidy. (I mention this all as idle curiosity. I’m not really interested in royal persons/matters.) My understanding is that Queen E was long considered one of the wealthiest women in the world, but I do not know how readily she could transfer her property - or whether she essentially benefitted from a trust-type arrangement. For example, when she dies, does she get to will her personal wealth to her kids and whomever she wishes? Or does it go to her heirs consistent with some expected formula. Do the more distant relatives - such as prince Harry and Meghan’s kids - expect some lifelong support. Does the queen have SOME property which is private and generates wealth/income, and OTHER property which she essentially pledges to the state in return for the public funding? I doubt H/M will be hurting for funds. Whatever funds the queen currently receives from personal or public sources, she should still be able to funnel a livable income to H/M. And, to the extent the queen owns/controls properties/resources throughout the world, she could allow H/M the use of them. I’d imagine the main significance is technical - for accounting purposes, if they refuse to perform whatever role as major/public members of the family, they likely forego some specific channel of income, and some specific “rights” to some properties/resources. It will be curious to see what they pursue. Nothing against either of them, but I’m not sure what talents they have that will support them in anything near the style they are accustomed to - especially if they wish to keep a low profile. That would seem to rule out entertainment/social media. And I imagine folk will continue to be somewhat interested in them. I suppose they might expect the media interest to be somewhat more manageable in the US than in Britain. And, I imagine Harry enjoys contacts the rest of us couldn’t even imagine. Friends and relations - and those wishing to incur the Royals’ favor - will undoubtedly name him to any number of do-nothing boards, offer use of their planes/houses/etc… ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/38 "2020-01-09T14:57:40Z")
She can certainly go back to acting if she wants. Maybe just a few movies now and then. Any studio would likely love to have her in a movie. the Queen pays taxes even though she does not have to. That started around 20 years ago. Some of her property is owned personally by her and some is state owned like Buckingham palace. I would think her personal property goes to whoever she wants when she dies. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/39 "2020-01-09T15:13:54Z")
I wonder if Harry has considered that he won’t be protected by Britain’s press laws? For example, his nude photo partying with a couple of women was taken in Canada. It was widely published except in Britain. Kate’s topless photo in France wasn’t published in Britain either. It was taken by a creepy paparazzi with telephoto lens. (criminal charges were filed) The British tabloids publish a lot of Royal gossip. But, embarrassing the Crown is a line they can’t cross. Harry and Meghan shouldn’t have that protection anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139/40 "2020-01-09T15:22:33Z")
Queen owns these 2 places personally [Balmoral Castle - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmoral_Castle) > **[Sandringham House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandringham_House)** > > Sandringham House is a country house in the parish of Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences of Charles III, whose grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there. The house stands in a 20,000-acre (8,100 ha) estate in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The house is listed as Grade II\* and the landscaped gardens, park and woodlands are on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. > The site has been occupied since... Here is what she owns and what the state owns: > **[List of British royal residences](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_royal_residences)** > > British royal residences are palaces, castles and houses occupied by members of the British royal family in the United Kingdom. Some, like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, are owned by the Crown (ownership by the British monarch is by virtue of his or her position as king or queen), while others like Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House are personally owned and have been passed down for generations. Some royal palaces, such as the Palace of Westminster (now used as the House of Parlia T... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-and-meghan-quitting-royal-family/846139.md?page=3)