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New Royal Ruling For Meghan And Harry

CHICAGO (CBS) --  A surprise royal ruling.

Queen Elizabeth II said Prince Harry and his wife Meghan can call Canada home, part-time.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports on what happened at Monday's emergency meeting.

It's the first time the Queen came face to face with Prince Harry, after he and his wife, Northwestern grad Meghan Markle, dropped the bombshell - that they were pulling back from their royal roles.

Her Majesty released a statement after the meeting supporting Harry and Meghan's decision saying "although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the royal family, we respect and understand their wish, to live a more independent life, as a family, while remaining a valued part of my family."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the announcement on Instagram last week, reportedly blindsiding the queen and leaving people asking who is to blame.

"It's not just about Meghan. It predates that," said royal commentator Roya Nikkhah

Royal commentators point to tensions between Harry and his brother Prince William.

"There is a pecking order in the royal family and there were times where quite often he had ideas about what he wanted to do that he'd have to run by his brother," Nikkhah said. "And I think he found that difficult."

The family summit at the queen's estate in eastern England included Prince Charles and Prince William. Meghan reportedly joined over the phone from Canada, where she's now with her son Archie.

Prince Harry and Meghan said they'll be splitting their time between the UK and North America and will to become financially independent.

But questions remain about who will pay for their trans-Atlantic lifestyle, their security detail, which is currently covered by British taxpayers and how they'll be able to  keep their UK home, Frogmore Cottage.

The Queen called Monday's discussions 'constructive' but said deciding Harry and Meghan's future path is complex and she hopes final decisions can be reached in the coming days.

As the final details are worked out, it's still not known if the couple will continue to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, or if they'll be stripped of their royal titles, since the Queen referred to them by only their first names in her statement.

 

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