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When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they would be stepping back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family, the world was thrown into a tizzy. While Markle escaped to Canada with the couple’s infant son, Archie Harrison to get away from the constant bullying and scrutiny, the prince went into crisis mode with his family.

Though many of us assumed that it would take quite some time for the royals to iron out the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ new roles, in just a bit over a week, their new roles have been revealed

From repaying taxpayers the $3 million for the renovation of their U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage, to not using their His/Her Royal Highness titles, the Sussexes’ new roles sound both liberating and modern.

Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s new roles

Effective Spring of 2020 the Sussexes will no longer be working royals, and they will split their time between the U.K. and North America. Buckingham Palace said in a statement,

The couple will still be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but they will no longer formally represent the Queen or receive money from the Sovereign Grant, the annual funding given to the Queen by the government to cover the costs of the royal family’s official expenses.

Additionally, the couple will pay rent at Frogmore Cottage, but this will hopefully allow them to build their wealth independently and have a more peaceful life.

Prince Harry felt like he had no choice but to step away from the royal family

Since she married Prince Harry, Markle has been subjected to heinous racism, sexism, and bullying. Things got so horrific that it was wearing on the Sussexes’ mental health. In fact, the duke has filed a lawsuit against several publications for their harassment of his wife.

Now, for the first time, the prince has spoken up about how he felt he had no choice but to step away from his duties to protect his family. “It brings me great sadness that it has come to this,” he said while speaking at a dinner for Sentebale charity. “The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option. Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible. I will always have the utmost respect for my grandmother, my commander in chief, and I am incredibly grateful to her and the rest of my family, for the support they have shown Meghan and I over the last few months.”

This is why Prince Harry is barred from wearing military uniforms

Though he does have honorary military titles, the Duke of Sussex did serve in the Army from 2006 to 2015. However, now that he is a normal citizen, he will give up his right to wear his military uniforms in public.

According to Yahoo News!, “Retired service personnel can wear their medals – but not their uniform – at official engagements once they have left the military.”

“The next time he [the Duke of Sussex] is at a military event he should be in civilian clothes because he is no longer involved with any military units,” Lord West of Spithead, the former First Sea Lord said of the duke resigning from his honorary appointments. “It is very unfortunate. It is very sad to be losing him from the military.”

However, it should calm the fears of many military personnel who were miffed that the duke would only be serving “part-time.”

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