One royal family member has opened up about Harry and Meghan's decision to leave

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior members of the royal family earlier this year, and as a result lost their HRH titles and left their Sussex Royal brand behind. They also announced that they would no longer be funded by the Sovereign Grant and Prince Charles' estate, and consequently repaid the cost of renovations to their former UK residence, Frogmore Cottage, in September.

A spokesperson confirmed: 'A contribution has been made to the Sovereign Grant by The Duke of Sussex. This contribution, as originally offered by Prince Harry, has fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage, a property of Her Majesty The Queen, and will remain the UK residence of The Duke and his family.'

Now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are living in California with their one-year-old son, Archie Harrison, relocating from their rented mansion in busy Los Angeles to a quieter neighbourhood in Santa Barbara.

They also recently signed a mutli-million dollar deal with Netflix as they intend to produce and create 'content that informs but also gives hope' and revealed we should expect 'powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens.'

But Harry and Meghan's new life reportedly hasn't impressed a number of royals, including Prince Philip who allegedly 'has struggled greatly' with their resignation.

Now, Princess Sofia of Sweden - who married the Duke of Värmland in 2015 - has opened up about the couple's decision to step down from the British monarchy.

Discussing Harry and Meghan's seemingly sudden departure, she was asked if she would ever leave royal life, but she said: 'No. Not really. I think I have found such a fantastic balance, and I really see it as a positive that I have made it through these stormy years.

'It is such a huge advantage, in that we have the opportunity to stand a little in both worlds.'

Harry and Meghan have not commented.

Jadie Troy-Pryde
News Editor

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.