After visiting Miami last week, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were once again in the U.S.,
though this time on the West Coast.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly made a secret trip to Stanford University
on Tuesday to discuss plans for their new charitable foundation.
While there, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met with professors, academics, and even the
university's president, Marc Tesser-Lavigne.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are on a traveling kick.
The duo then reportedly spent several hours with various academics and professors, discussing
their new charitable organization.
The Duke and Duchess's new venture, Sussex Royal, will clearly continue to be important
to them, even after they've transitioned to their new lives.
Up until recently, it was thought that Harry and Markle could divide their time between
Canada and the UK, as was implied in their statement when they resigned.
When the couple announced their intention to step down from their royal roles in January,
their newly-launched website noted that their charity would be a part of their "new chapter."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are continuing to distance themselves from royal life, letting
go of all 15 of the UK staffers who served their office in Buckingham Palace.
One or two of their axed staffers may find their way back into the royal household, but
most are now negotiating their severance packages.
Buckingham Palace does not speak on staffing matters, but it is reportedly understood that
senior royals such as the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William are aware of the office
closure and layoffs.
“Given their decision to step back, an office at Buckingham Palace is no longer needed.”
“While the details are still being finalized and efforts are being made to redeploy people
within the royal household, unfortunately, there will be some redundancies".
Fired staffers include communications chief Sara Latham and newly appointed private secretary
Fiona Mcilwham.
Clara Loughran — Harry’s program coordinator who handed Meghan her bouquet on her wedding
day — also got the boot.
“The Duke and Duchess have a small team, less than 15 people. The team are very loyal
to the Sussexes and understand and respect the decision they have taken,” the source
said.
“They are all close and supporting each other. The team are busy helping to set their
Royal Highnesses up for the future and working on a series of final engagements.”
The Queen is hoping her family will put on a 'united front' when Prince Harry returns
to London for Commonwealth day in March, a source has told Us Weekly.
Her Majesty reportedly wants Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle to return to the
UK for the Commonwealth Day service on 9 March at Westminster Abbey, which will no doubt
be attended by Prince William and Kate Middleton.
'The Queen's hoping everyone will put on a united front when Harry returns to London
in March — even though there's still tension behind closed doors,' the source said.
'It'll be interesting to watch their body language and see how they are together.'
Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, are currently living in a £10 million Vancouver
Island mansion as they plan their new life outside of The Firm, having stepped back from
royal duties in January.
But the Queen requested Harry and Meghan attend the annual Commonwealth Service with the rest
of the royals next month.
Government representatives of the 53 member nations will gather at Westminster Abbey for
the one-hour event on the afternoon of March 9.
For the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, it will be wrapped into a wider whistle stop schedule
which will mark their final duties on the family's frontline.
It will be the first public appearance for the brothers since Harry quit royal life to
pursue 'financial independence' in Canada with Meghan Markle.
The brothers rift is said to have begun in 2017 when Prince William warned his younger
sibling he was 'moving too fast' with Meghan.
It is believed to have deepened since the Sussexes moved to Canada, with a source revealing:
'They didn't leave on good terms by any means, but they are both relieved that it's over.
'Perhaps Meghan and Harry didn't think things through exactly as they could have, but they
wanted to be happy. Who can blame them for that?'
While Harry and Meghan initially said they would be splitting their time between the
UK and North America, it is now thought the couple and their son Archie will say mostly
in Canada.