Prince Harry feels ‘great sadness’ about stepping down from his royal duties

The Duke of Sussex after stepping down from royal duties delivered his first public remarks on Sunday on the subject.

At the Sentebale charity, in his emotional speech in London, Prince Harry said there was “really no other option” for him, wife Meghan, and son Archie.

“Our hope was to continue serving the queen, the Commonwealth, and my military associations without public funding. Sadly, that wasn’t possible,” said the prince, who is the sixth-in-line to the throne.

“I’ve accepted this knowing it doesn’t change who I am, or how committed I am. But I hope that helps you understand what it had come to, that I would step back from all I have ever known to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life.”

“It brings me great sadness that it has come to this,” said Harry.

“As far as this goes, there really was no other option,” he added.

Talking about the charity he founded to help children with HIV in Africa that he wanted them to hear the truth from him “not as a Prince, or a Duke, but as Harry, the same person that many of you have watched grow up over the last 35 years but with a clearer perspective”.

“The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change,” he said.

It was on Saturday when Buckingham Palace announced that Harry and Meghan will step back completely from the royal family starting in Spring 2020.

Harry and Meghan will also no longer use their HRH titles.

However, the two will remain known as Duke and Duchess of Sussex, according to the statement but will no longer receive public funding and will work towards repaying the Sovereign Grant for their Frogmore Cottage renovations, which will remain their UK home.