Crisis meeting at Sandringham scheduled for later today
Good morning, on a day that could prove to be pivotal for the future shape of the monarchy. While a lot of the wider coverage of the crisis caused by the sudden announcement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that they want to step back from senior roles in the royal family treats them like showbiz or celebrity characters, the move has significant constitutional implications for how the royal family is run, paid for, and what is expected from them in the future.
Later today the Queen will gather together for a meeting with her heir Prince Charles, and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry. Meghan is expected to be joining them via conference call, as they attempt to thrash out the next steps to a workable solution at the Queen’s private Sandringham estate in eastern England. According to reports the issues up for debate will include how much money the couple will still receive from Charles’s estate, their royal titles and what commercial deals they can strike.
It’s not entirely clear that much news will emerge from the meeting today – we may just end up with a ‘talks with continue’, but we will expect to get a briefing on what progress there has been after the meeting concludes.
