Yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rocked Buckingham Palace by announcing that they intend to “step back as senior members” of the royal family with plans in place to split their time between the UK and North America.
The couple’s decision is in hope of raising their son, Archie, with both an appreciation of the establishment alongside the space needed to focus upon their next chapter as “financially independent” members of society.
Although they are certainly the first members of the Windsor clan to buck tradition, the royal couple aren’t the only ones to have stepped out of the spotlight in years gone by.
WATCH BELOW: Never-Before-Seen Pictures In Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Year In Review
From King Edward VIII to Princess Diana, these are the royals who gave up their duties in the name of love, divorce and controversy.
Princess Diana
Prince Harry’s decision to break from tradition can be compared to his late mother Princess Diana’s departure from the institution.
Although mother to the future King of England, she was stripped of regal styling, ‘Her Royal Highness’, following her highly-publicised divorce from Prince Charles in 1996.
In a striking parallel between her and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Diana was allowed to keep her apartment at Kensington Palace. Similarly, Harry and Meghan will remain in Windsor-based Frogmore Cottage when residing in the UK.
Another noteworthy similarity is that the new parents are also keen to focus on their “new charitable entity” – a move which reflects Princess Diana’s commitment to philanthropic efforts up until her death in 1997.
Zara and Peter Phillips
Princess Anne’s children, Zara and Peter Phillips, weren’t entitled to royal status by birth as only the monarch’s son’s grandchildren are given a prestigious title.
Eschewing tradition, Her Majesty did offer to bestow regal titles upon them but Princess Anne declined in the hope of giving her children the most normal upbringing possible.
Zara later revealed that she was grateful of her mother’s decision in a 2015 interview.
“I’m very lucky that both my parents decided to not use the title and we grew up and did all the things that gave us the opportunity to do,” she told The Times.
Prince Andrew
The Duke of York famously stepped down from his royal duties “for the forseeable future” in November 2019 following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
“It has become clear to me over the past few days that my association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” Prince Andrew said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace.
“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I can step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein,” he continued. “His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives.”
The announcement came just five days after the 59-year-old appeared in an interview given by BBC journalist, Emily Maitlis, on his controversial relationship with convicted child sex offender, Epstein.
Described as a “PR disaster” despite being given the go-ahead by Her Majesty, Prince Andrew was condemned by viewers for not showing remorse for Epstein’s alleged victims.
He categorically denied allegations that he forced Virginia Giuffre (née Roberts) to have sex with him three times between 2001 and 2002 when she was 17-years-old, claiming he was at food chain Pizza Express in Woking on the day it was said to have taken place.
Amid mounting criticism, a number of businesses, universities and charities across the globe associated with Prince Andrew – including UK telecoms company BT and Standard Chartered bank – have reportedly cut ties.
King Edward VII
A forbidden romance The Crown devotees will be clued up on, King Edward VIII famously abdicated in 1936 after his desire to wed American divorcée was rejected by the Church of England.
Renouncing the throne in a statement broadcast on the radio, he said: “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.”
Stripped of his title, the couple later became known as Duke and Duchess of Windsor and moved to France to live in exile.
His brother King George VI took the reigns with Princess Elizabeth eventually being crowned Queen.
Yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rocked Buckingham Palace by announcing that they intend to “step back as senior members” of the royal family with plans in place to split their time between the UK and North America.
The couple’s decision is in hope of raising their son, Archie, with both an appreciation of the establishment alongside the space needed to focus upon their next chapter as “financially independent” members of society.
Although they are certainly the first members of the Windsor clan to buck tradition, the royal couple aren’t the only ones to have stepped out of the spotlight in years gone by.
WATCH BELOW: Never-Before-Seen Pictures In Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Year In Review
Yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rocked Buckingham Palace by announcing that they intend to “step back as senior members” of the royal family with plans in place to split their time between the UK and North America.
The couple’s decision is in hope of raising their son, Archie, with both an appreciation of the establishment alongside the space needed to focus upon their next chapter as “financially independent” members of society.
Although they are certainly the first members of the Windsor clan to buck tradition, the royal couple aren’t the only ones to have stepped out of the spotlight in years gone by.
WATCH BELOW: Never-Before-Seen Pictures In Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Year In Review
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