Queen allows Duke and Duchess of Sussex to set up their own household

It has just been announced that The Queen has agreed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will create their own royal  household.

Following their marriage in May last year, Prince Harry and Meghan have the support of the Monarch to order their own affairs and charitable work separate from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The move has been described as ‘long-planned’.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are setting up their own houeshold; they are pictured here on the opening day of Royal Ascot in 2018. Picture by Stephen Lock / i-Images

The Queen has agreed to allow The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to set up their own household. They are pictured on the Town Hall balcony during their visit to Chester (Benjamin Wareing)

The household will be created with the support of The Queen and The Prince of Wales, will be established in the spring; we expect to see the formal separation after the birth of the couple’s first child, when they have move to Frogmore Cottage at Windsor. Currently they live at Nottingham Cottage in the Kensington Palace complex.

Kensington Palace will continue to deal with the coupe’s communications and press until the household is fully established.

Jason Knauf has been appointed as Senior Adviser to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, having worked for the couple for four years. Christian Jones will take his place as Communications Secretary.

Meanwhile Sara Latham, who worked under Hilary Clinton on her presidential campaign, is to lead the office for Prince Harry and Meghan. Ms Latham will report directly to The Queen’s Communication Secretary, Donal McCabe.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry joined The Queen at St. Mary Magdalene Church on her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, for the Christmas Day service. Picture by Andrew Parsons / i-Images

No statement has been made on the name of the couple’s new office, but it seems likely William and Catherine will keep Kensington Palace. The Sussex’s team will form part of Buckingham Palace, and be based there.

As time progresses, of course, they will become more junior Royals, and so are taking a similar route to The Princess Royal, The Duke of York and The Earl and Countess of Wessex by having their office part of Buckingham Palace. This will also allow for smoother transitions of Monarchs.

This move has been expected for a while, now that Harry is married and the couple’s have their own charitable interests. The Royal Foundation, led by the four Royals, will continue as before.

Prince William and Harry had their own office out of St James’s Palace from 2009, and the Kensington brand was formed in 2014.