Meghan & Harry ONE YEAR ON

WHO TAKES A LOOK AT THE COUPLE’S NEW LIFE IN LA, ONE YEAR AFTER THEY STEPPED DOWN FROM ROYAL DUTIES

- Kylie Walters

It’s been a roller-coaster year for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will mark the first anniversary since they announced they were “stepping back” from their roles as full-time royals on January 8. “So many people have been through so much pain this year, experiencing loss, a huge amount of uncertainty,” the prince said.

The couple also experienced their own devastation in 2020 following two international moves, a high-profile court case with a tabloid and, most recently, a miscarriage. But there have also been great moments of joy for Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, who purchased their first property together this year, were both home to witness their son Archie’s first steps and carved out their path to financial freedom with a Netflix deal rumoured to be worth $200 million. The couple have also signed a multimillion-dollar partnership with Spotify to produce podcasts.

While their lives are very different to what they envisioned when they made the shock announcement to walk away from the royal family, the pandemic has allowed the Sussexes to take time off and plan exactly what they would like their post-royal legacy to be.

CHANGING PLANS

When the couple chose to “step back”, they initially planned to stay on as part-time royals and represent Queen Elizabeth in the Commonwealth from their (then) home base in Canada as they worked to achieve financial independence.