British Prince Harry expressed his grief for having to abandon his royal duties in agreement with Queen Elizabeth and the elders of the royal family, whereby he and his wife Megan leave their official roles in search of an independent future.
Buckingham Palace and the Queen announced last Saturday that Harry and his American wife, Megan, a former actress, were no longer two active members of the royal family, would not use their royal titles and would be financially independent.
The new arrangement was reached to end the crisis the couple had raised by announcing earlier in January that they wanted to reduce their official ties, and to spend more time in North America while maintaining their status as active members of the royal family.
In a speech to the Sanibel Charity Foundation on Sunday, Harry, who seemed frustrated, said the end result was not what he and his wife wanted.
"Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth, and my military societies without public funds," said the prince, the sixth in the ranking for the throne. Unfortunately, this was not possible. "I accepted this and I know that it will not change (the reality) of who I am and the extent of my commitment," he added.
According to the new arrangement, Harry will remain a prince and the couple will retain the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they embark on a new life in which they will move between Britain and North America where they will spend most of their time, but they will not participate in any ceremonies or royal tours in the future.
"I was very saddened that (things) reached this (result)," Harry said, explaining that the decision to reduce their royal activities came after months of consultations, and it was not a hasty decision.