'JUST CALL ME HARRY'

So Prince Harry has given in his notice, and a new chapter in Royal history begins. We report on the final official engagements of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex…

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan shocked the world on the evening of Wednesday January 8th night with their announcement that they were “stepping back” as senior members of the Royal Family. The news dominated the front pages in the UK, social media hotly debated the move while a host of celebrities lined up to praise the Royal couple.

In a shock announcement, the couple said they would spend time in North America and rip up longestablished relations with the press. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their bombshell statement without notifying either Prince Harry’s grandmother the monarch, or his father Prince Charles.

We are not party to what went on behind the scenes immediately after this announcement, but the unflappable Queen quickly sorted out a workable solution. One that would allow Prince Harry and Meghan to opt out of Royal life but return to the fold at some future stage if they so wished.

Their date of departure was agreed as March 31st, but before that the couple were to fulfil a final series of public engagements.

Prince Harry left wife Meghan and son Archie behind in Canada when he flew back to Britain in January for the first of these - hosting a draw on January 16th for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup at Buckingham Palace.

Prince Harry looked serious as he arrived at Buckingham Palace in a Jaguar car, and he gave the assembled media the silent treatment. But he laughed and cracked jokes with young rugby players in the palace’s gardens, jokingly telling them to be careful on the grass or he would “get into trouble”.