With Tuesday, March 31, marking Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s final day as senior working royals, the couple have taken to their @SussexRoyal Instagram account one last time.
A spokesperson for the couple announced today that though they ‘would prefer that in the immediate weeks and months, the focus remains on the global response to COVID-19,’ the Duke and Duchess of Sussex understand that there are outstanding questions relating to their future outside of the Royal Household, which officially begins on April 1.
The March 30 post marks the final time the couple will post under the @SussexRoyal handle and also the end of SussexRoyal.com, the website they launched at the start of the year to outline details of their transition from royal duties. From this point onward, the accounts will become inactive.
As has previously been reported, the couple will now spend the future focusing on their nonprofit organisation, having shelved ideas last year to establish a UK-based Sussex Royal Foundation. Though Travalyst—Harry’s sustainable tourism venture, which was to be an anchor initiative for the foundation—will continue, all other aspects of the charity are being wound up.
‘The Trustees of the Sussex Royal Foundation have been an invaluable resource to The Duke and Duchess, providing essential guidance,’ said the spokesperson. ‘The Duke and Duchess are incredibly grateful for the Trustees’ support and counsel in recent months.’
Pin this article for later! For more, follow Good Housekeeping on Pinterest.
Travalyst, one of Harry’s main focuses for the year ahead, is now being established as an independent nonprofit organisation based in the United Kingdom.
‘COVID-19 has presented the world with one of the greatest public health and socio-economic challenges of modern times,’ read a statement released March 30. ‘It has also forced one of the biggest human behavioural changes in generations. When restrictions related to controlling the pandemic ease, the role of responsible tourism to support communities and destinations around the world will be more important than ever. The Duke is working closely with each of the Travalyst partners to better understand how this non-profit organisation can aid in global recovery, especially by supporting communities, wildlife and the environment at the same time.’
Despite President Donald Trump’s breathless March 29 tweet about refusing the couple security in the United States, where they are now currently based, Harry and Meghan have already made their own private security arrangements. ‘For their safety and that of those protecting them, no further comment or guidance will be provided,’ says the Sussex spokesperson, who adds that tabloid reports and speculation on security measures ‘interferes with operational ability and adds risk to all those receiving protection, those who are protecting them, and potentially to members of the public.’
From the end of Tuesday, the couple will no longer rely on their household office at Buckingham Palace, which was headed by communications secretary Sara Latham and private secretary Fiona Mcilwham. In the States, PR firm Sunshine Sachs will represent the couple for media enquiries, while trusted former Royal Foundation aide James Holt will handle the role for the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Starting in April, former staffer from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Catherine St-Laurent, will start in a post as chief of staff to the couple and also serve as executive director of their new yet-to-be-named nonprofit organisation.
In a statement the duke and duchess write, ‘We are proud to be joined by Catherine St-Laurent in this next chapter with us. Her leadership and proven track record working within two organisations that have tremendous impact in the world—the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Pivotal Ventures—make her an incredible asset and we are excited to have her on our team.’
St-Laurent joins from Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company created by Melinda Gates, where she helped lay the groundwork for the organisation since its inception in 2015. Prior, St-Laurent led Melinda Gates’s communications for several years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. A native of Montreal, St-Laurent moved to Seattle in 2011 after nearly a decade working in Brussels and London.
‘From our very first conversation, Harry and Meghan have expressed a deep commitment to improving lives and having a positive impact on society,’ St-Laurent says. ‘Their perspective on the role that empathy, connection, and compassion can play in that mission is both deeply personal and incredibly timely. I am delighted and honoured to be able to play a role in realising their vision as they embark on this journey of learning, listening, and inspiring all of us to act.’
As Harry, Meghan, and their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, settle in to their new lives in California, their spokesperson adds, ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend the next few months focusing on their family and continuing to do what they can, safely and privately, to support and work with their pre-existing charitable commitments while developing their future non-profit organisation.’
The duke and duchess remain committed and supportive to their patronages and will continue to work closely with them.
Image: Getty
Source: Good Housekeeping US
ALSO READ:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have moved to California
Did Meghan and Harry offend Kate and William by choosing the name Archie?
Meghan & Harry said goodbye to the Frogmore Staff with an emotional lunch
Want to receive articles like this in your inbox? Subscribe to our newsletter and become part of the Good Housekeeping community. You can sign up here
