Harry and Meghan announce they will leave role as 'senior members' of the royal family

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announced on Wednesday (8) that they will work to become "financially independent" and that they will leave the condition of "senior members" of the British royal family.

According to the couple, the decision was made "after many months of reflection and internal discussions" and they chose to "make a transition this year, beginning to play a new progressive role within this institution".

"Now we plan to balance our time between the UK and North America, continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth," the Dukes of Sussex said in a statement.

"This geographical balance will allow us to raise our son with an appreciation for the real tradition in which he was born, in addition to providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charity. We look forward to sharing all the details of this exciting next step in due course as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parts. Until then, accept our deepest thanks for your continued support," the text says, posted in a message on Instagram (see above).

In response, Queen Elizabeth II's office released a statement, in which it says discussions with the couple are in early stages. "We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to resolve," the text says.

Harry is sixth in line to the throne, behind his father, Prince Charles,his older brother William,and nephews, George, Charlotte and Louis.

He and Meghan, who was born in the United States and lived for years in Canada, married in May 2018 and the couple's first child, Archie Harrison, was born in May 2019.