B.C. snowstorm was royal baby Archie's first time seeing snow
Credit to Author: Postmedia News| Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2020 23:27:13 +0000
At least one person was excited about all the snow falling on B.C. last week.
In Prince Harry’s first public remarks since announcing he and Meghan would be stepping back from royal duties, the Duke of Sussex revealed his eight-month-old son Archie recently got his first glimpse at a true Canadian winter.
“It has also been a privilege to meet so many of you, and to feel your excitement for our son Archie, who saw snow for the first time the other day and thought it was bloody brilliant,” the prince shared at a Jan. 19 event in London, U.K. supporting Sentebale.
Baby Archie was reportedly left in Vancouver with a nanny and a friend earlier this month, as Harry and Meghan were in the U.K. dropping their bombshell announcement about plans to step back from royal duties and cut ties with public funding.
at tonight’s dinner for supporters of Sentebale in London Video © SussexRoyal
In addition to the adorable detail about baby Archie, the prince also used the opportunity to clarify his feelings on the recent headlines and developments.
“What I want to make clear is we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you. Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding,” he said. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.”
“I’ve accepted this, knowing that it doesn’t change who I am or how committed I am. But I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life,” he said during the dinner program for Sentebale, a charity co-founded by Harry to support the mental health and wellbeing of HIV-affected children in Lesotho and Botswana.
The Sussexes’ announcement earlier this month appeared to come as a shock to even the Queen, who called the matters “complicated” in a short public statement issued as a response.
Prince Harry is pictured with song Archie in this photo shared to the @SussexRoyal Instagram account. It’s believed the photo – with the Saanich Inlet in the background – was taken near Victoria, while the family spent the Christmas holidays in Saanich.
On Sunday, the Queen and Buckingham Palace released two statements detailing the conclusion of the family’s talks in transitioning Harry and Meghan out of the royal limelight.
“I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life,” the Queen’s statement read.
“I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.”
The new arrangement will see Harry and Megan step back from royal duties and military appointments, and cut off from public funds for royal duties. The couple will forego their HRH titles but continue to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and will no longer formally represent the Queen.
The couple also plan to pay back taxpayer dollars used to refurbish Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their base in the U.K. The new arrangement goes into effect in the spring of 2020.
Last week, Meghan flew back to B.C. to reunite with her young son and has since made public appearances visiting with local charities including the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre in Vancouver.
The couple had recently vacationed on Vancouver Island during the holidays, with many speculating that B.C. could become the young family’s new part-time home.