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    The real reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle turned down Kensington Palace's Apartment 1 has been revealed

    Here's everything we know...

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 9 January 2020 In Features

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    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Here's everything we know...

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made headline news yesterday as they announced that they would be stepping back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family.

    '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,' read their statement. ‘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.'

    A photo posted by on

    This shock news has unsurprisingly thrown the Duke and Duchess of Sussex back into the spotlight after six weeks away, with fans now reevaluating a lot of the royal couple's previous decisions.

    Some of the most news has surrounded their decision last year to controversially move to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, turning down the offer to move into Kensington Palace's apartment 1.

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    While the reasons at the time weren't fully known, it has recently emerged that it was actually all down to privacy, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanting a private space to raise their son, Archie. And while Kensington Palace's apartment 1 was offered to the couple, it has been reported that it would have taken too long to renovate, meaning that the couple wouldn't have had time to move in before the birth of their son.

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    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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