Prince William and Prince Harry release joint statement denying 'rift'
They're having 'crisis talks' about Harry stepping down
Prince William and Prince Harry have put out a joint statement to deny rumours of a rift between them in the wake of Harry's announcement that he would be stepping down as a 'senior Royal' last week with his wife Meghan Markle.
The statement, which has been issued to the press through their spokespeople, reads, 'Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge.
'For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.'
The brothers are thought to be joining the Queen and other members of the Royal family today at Sandringham House for 'crisis talks' to discuss how Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle might be able to step down as 'senior royals' and split their time between living in the UK and Canada.
The statement, which was released on 8th January, was shared to Instagram and reads, '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.'
The statement continued, '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.'
Buckingham Palace released their own response shortly after - and it's thought that they had no prior warning. It read, 'Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.'