And with that, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have completed their last official engagement as senior members of the Royal Family.
Harry and Meghan, who joined The Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family —including The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and The Earl and Countess of Wessex —at the Commonwealth Day Service on Monday afternoon in Westminster Abbey, have reportedly already flown back to Canada as they close this chapter of their royal careers.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe couple, who’d returned to the UK last week for a series of final engagements, posted on their official Instagram account, “As President and Vice-President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been passionate advocates of the Commonwealth having spent many years working closely with the next generation of Commonwealth leaders.
“The theme of the Commonwealth for 2020 is ‘Delivering A Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’, placing emphasis on youth, the environment, trade, governance, and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) and innovation.
“From working to protect the earth’s natural resources and preserving the planet for generations to come, to championing fair trade and empowering the youth of today to transform the communities of tomorrow, the Service celebrates the Commonwealth’s continued commitment to delivering a peaceful, prosperous and more sustainable future for all.”
Meghan arrived in a green cape dress by New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead, another subtle nod to the Commonwealth. The couple were conducted to their seats prior to the arrival of The Queen, and following the service, met with the clergy and select schoolchildren who had attended the event.
The Duke and Duchess spent the weekend conducting a final flurry of engagements. The couple attended the Endeavour Fund Awards on Thursday evening, their first joint appearance in months; the Mountbatten Festival of Music, Harry’s last engagement as Captain-General of the Royal Marines for the foreseeable future, on Saturday evening; and a slew of solo outings.
Harry opened the Silverstone Experience racing museum and met with Jon Bon Jovi to watch the recording of an Invictus Games anthem; while Meghan paid a private visit to the National Theatre and visited the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham for International Women’s Day.
Their period as senior royals officially comes to an end on 31 March, with a 12-month review period to follow. Though the couple won’t be acting on behalf of The Queen from 1 April, they are still expected to carry out engagements on behalf of their causes and patronages—Harry will attend the London Marathon in April, the couple will attend the Invictus Games in The Hague in May, and they’re both expected back for Trooping the Colour in June.
