Woman's Day Magazine NZ

editor’s note

Flabbergasted. Shocked. Gobsmacked. To be honest, I’m still coming to grips with conflicted emotions about the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have stepped down from duties as senior royals, all but calling it quits. It’s an historic moment for the royal family … and a hugely controversial one. I woke up this morning to read Prince Harry and Meghan’s announcement on Instagram and, after my best stunned mullet impression, I immediately thought of the Queen. Whether you, dear readers, are royalists or not, I’ve no doubt you admire the dignified dedication our monarch has shown to public service for 66 years. She is 93 years of age, and her sense of duty has never wavered. So I was sad she was shown a lack of respect from Harry…

the controversial message from the duke and duchess of sussex

“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. 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…

special royal report: why harry & meghan quit sussex bombshell the royal family will never be the same

When Prince Harry said “I do” to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018, the royal family’s future looked as sunny as it was on that historic spring day in Windsor. The fun-loving grandson of the Queen appeared to have finally found his fairytale ending with the glamorous American actress and the world couldn’t have been happier. But fast-forward 19 months and things have gone drastically wrong. Shockwaves are echoing across the globe over the couple’s astonishing decision to step aside from their current royal roles – and calls are mounting for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to be ejected from the family over their disregard for the Queen, who was blindsided by the release of their plans. The bombshell came on January 8, just a day after Harry and Meghan returned…

meghan’s 3-year reign of control

OCTOBER 20, 2016 News breaks that Prince Harry is dating Suits star Meghan Markle. The pair met at London’s Soho House in July after being set up on a blind date by their mutual friend Misha Nonoo. NOVEMBER 8, 2016 Harry publicly attacks the UK press over its “abuse” and “harassment” of his girlfriend. NOVEMBER 27, 2017 The couple reveal they are engaged after Harry proposed while Meghan roasted a chicken at his home. FEBRUARY 28, 2018 Harry and Meghan join forces at a public engagement with William and Kate – the media dub them the “awesome foursome”. MAY 19, 2018 Harry and Meghan marry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle and become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. MARCH 14, 2019 Rumours of a rift between Harry and William emerge after the Sussexes split from Kensington Palace to form…

kiwi who broke the news

Prince Harry’s decision to step aside is one of the biggest royal stories in decades, and amazingly, it was broken by a London-based Kiwi holidaying in New Zealand! Dan Wootton, executive editor of The Sun newspaper, told Woman’s Day he worked on the story while spending time with his parents in Wellington. “I’d been dealing with my contacts for weeks,” he tells. “Harry and Meghan knew exactly what they were doing when they went rogue because I first put the story to their representatives on December 28, giving them at least 10 days to make other members of the family aware of what they were intending and to set some early ground rules.” Dan has lived in the UK for 16 years, but grew up in Lower Hutt. He said the story was…

cash cows!

Losing their $2 million of taxpayer funds will hardly put a dent in the Sussexes’ rather deep pockets. The couple already have a private fortune of $67 million, but social media expert Paul Sutton says the glamorous duo could earn another gargantuan fortune as social media influencers. “They could potentially make millions,” says Paul. “Luxury jewellery firms would be particularly keen on Meghan.” The royal rogues, he says, are in the perfect position to leapfrog over the Kardashians to snatch the title of the most sought-after influencers on the planet. Just so you know, selfie queen Kim Kardashian West currently gets around $1.4 million per post and her little sister Kylie Jenner, 22, gets a whopping $1.8 million!…