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Meghan Markle returns to Canada after "stepping back" from royal family

Meghan Markle returns to Canada
Meghan Markle returns to Canada after "stepping back" from royal family 05:22

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has left Britain and has returned to Canada following the announcement that she and Prince Harry are stepping away from "senior" royal roles. "I can confirm she is in Canada," said a spokeswoman for Meghan confirmed.

Meghan's return to the country comes after only recently arriving in London following a long break in Canada with her husband Prince Harry and son, Archie. The 8-month-old reportedly remained in Canada according to People magazine. 

On Wednesday, the couple announced in an Instagram post that they will work to become financially independent and that they will be dividing their time between Britain and North America.

"We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America," they said in a statement. "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."

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“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. 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. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. 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. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” - The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on

Meghan had reportedly not planned to spend much time in the United Kingdom. The duchess "was always due to return to Canada after a brief return trip to the UK," according to the Press Association. A source told the news agency that the duchess "came back to attend some meetings and then went back."

During her short return to London, Prince Harry and Meghan met with the High Commissioner for Canada at Canada House in London, and expressed thanks for the warm Canadian hospitality and support they received during their recent stay.

Before she married Harry, Meghan lived in Toronto while she was filming the TV series "Suits."

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