Meghan and Harry 'no longer protected by Palace' says expert

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Prince Harry’s wife was handed the patronage in January 2019 less than a year after she married into the family. It was seen as a major privilege for Meghan to hold the position which had been held by the Queen for 45 years. The Queen, 94, offered the former Actress the position to help promote the National Theatre which aims to support young people’s creativity through learning and participation programmes.

At the time, Buckingham Palace said that “patronages generally reflect the interests of the member of the Royal Family involved”.

But two years on, Meghan has decided to permanently forego her role as she seeks to carve out her own path away from the royal system.

According to The Sunday Times, those in the running for the role are the Duchess of Cambridge and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

But Prince Edward has emerged as the clear favourite due to his current holding of similar positions.

The dad-of-two is patron of the National Youth Theatre and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

During the late 1980s Edward, 56, worked as a production assistant for Lord Lloyd-Webber’s theatre company.

The prince, who was 23 when his employment began, had shown a keen interest in the arts.

A friend said: “That’s the line of work he wants to follow.”

When he became an assistant at the Really Useful Theatre Company it was the first time in memory that a member of the immediate Royal Family had chosen theatre as a career.

On Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch had stripped Harry and Meghan of their patronages after they told her they would not be returning to the fold.

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The duke was said to be particularly saddened to have his honorary military patronages pulled.

In response to the palace’s announcement, the Sussexes released a statement of their own.

They said regardless of what positions they hold, they intend to continue assisting the organisations they had links with.

A spokesman for the pair said: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.

“We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”

There have been suggestions that the National Theatre could retain links with the duchess, 39.

Meghan’s growing profile in the US would offer the theatre a much-needed boost when it comes to fundraising.

The arts sector has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic and repeated lockdowns.

A former board member told The Sunday Times: “If they could have an unofficial relationship, she can go on being tremendously beneficial.”

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