Queen spotted driving ahead of ‘imminent' statement on Meghan Markle and Harry's future
QUEEN ELIZABETH II was spotted driving this morning in Sandringham, amid growing rumours senior aides are finalising the terms of the exit deal of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
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The Queen was seen driving - without a seatbelt - through the Sandringham estate this morning wrapped up in a winter jacket. The monarch covered her head with a patterned scarf and wore sunglasses to protect her eyes from the sun shining in Norfolk today. Behind the wheel of a Land Rover, the monarch looked serene - despite claims her aides are to finalise an exit deal for Meghan and Harry "imminently".
Meghan and Prince Harry have announced last Wednesday their intention to step down as senior royals.
The pair’s bombshell statement, which a source claimed was published without consulting Prince Charles, Prince William or the Queen, sent shockwaves across the Royal Family and the country.
But a further step forward towards ending this crisis is expected to be taken very soon, according to royal expert Robert Jobson.
Writing in the Evening Standard, Mr Jobson said yesterday an official statement on the couple was expected “imminently”.
Express.co.uk has contacted Buckingham Palace for a comment.
The speed at which senior aides seem to have worked follows a request made by the monarch herself.
Hours after Meghan and Harry’s statement was released, royal aides were urged by the Queen to act quickly to find viable solutions with officials at the Canada and UK’s governments.
Behind her request there may be the desire to avoid the royal crisis being dragged out for months and overshadow some important upcoming royals engagements - including Prince Charles’s historic visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories later this month.
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On Monday, Prince Harry met the Duke of Cambridge, the Prince of Wales and the monarch at Sandringham House, where the senior royals are believed to have discussed possible ways forward for the Sussexes.
After the meeting, the Queen released a statement where she opened up on her feelings over her grandson and granddaughter-in-law’s decision to step back as full-time working royals.
Nevertheless, she added, she and the rest of the Royal Family were “entirely supportive” of their “desire to create a new life as a young family”.
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However, the talks didn’t disentangle all the issues presented by the plan outlined by Meghan and Harry in their statement.
The Queen added: “These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
On Thursday Prince Harry led the Rugby Football League 2021 draw ceremony at Buckingham Palace, marking his first royal engagement since his bombshell announcement.
Asked by a member of the press about the ongoing negotiations on his and Meghan’s future, Prince Harry was seen “laughing out loud” and didn’t answer.
On the same day, Meghan was spotted driving herself to Victoria International Airport on Vancouver Island to pick up her close friend and pilates guru Heather Dorak.
Two days earlier, the Duchess of Sussex was seen boarding on a seaplane to, as it was later discovered, visit two local organisations, one women’s shelter and charity Justice for Girls.
According to members of the staff of these associations, Meghan visited their offices to speak about their work, remaining for approximately one hour.
In their statement, Meghan and Harry have outlined their desire to become financially independent, to be able to work on their own projects and live between the UK and North America.