Harry and Meghan's Rep Says Their Royal Exit Was *Never* About Wanting More Privacy
Now that their Netflix show has officially debuted, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and their team seem pretty done pulling punches or staying silent about the truth about all things Royal Exit.
Case in point: The couple's Global Press Secretary, Ashley Hansen, is speaking out with official words about one of the longest-standing rumors (and sources of criticism) when it comes to the royal exit: the idea that the Sussexes stepped back from their roles as full-time working royals because they wanted more privacy and how allowing a documentary crew to follow them around and tell their story seems to be at odds with that goal.
There's a good reason that those two things seem to incongruent, according to Harry and Meghan's rep, and it's because the whole idea that the royal exit was motivated by a desire for privacy is fully false.
"The Duke and Duchess have never cited privacy as the reason for stepping back," the Sussex rep explained in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. "This distorted narrative was intended to trap the couple into silence. In fact, their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties. Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series."
Hansen gave a similar statement to the New York Times earlier this week, saying, "Their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties. Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series. They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion. The facts are right in front of them."
FWIW, this claim is easy to fact check and, if you look back at Harry and Meghan's original statement about the royal exit from January 2020, accurate. Here's what that statement said:
"After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.
This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full 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 parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support."
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