Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s move to California following their exit as senior members of the royal family, many have questioned whether the bold move would affect the Duchess of Sussex’s application for U.K. citizenship.
Following the couple’s 2018 wedding, a spokesperson for the duchess told CNN that Meghan was planning on becoming a dual citizen of the U.K. and the U.S. and that it was “too early to say” if she would retain that dual status. But now, a year on from their royal exit, The Telegraph reports that Meghan has “abandoned plans” to become a U.K. citizen.
Per government regulations, the former royal would have to had to lived in the U.K. for a minimum of three years in order to apply for citizenship as a spouse or civil partner. Harry and Meghan moved to Montecito, California, alongside their son Archie, in March 2020, prior to that three-year mark.
Despite this, a source close to the couple told Entertainment Tonight that the couple has “no regrets” about their decision to move away from royal life.
“[They] feel very rewarded from their work,” the source added, referring to the couple’s new foundation, Archewell.
Alongside their new foundation, Meghan and Harry have signed major deals with both Spotify and Netflix to create content that “uplifts and entertains audiences around the world.”
“Despite everything that has been going on this year, they don’t regret their move to the U.S.,” a source told People. “They love that they are able to focus on projects and causes that are important to them.”
A source close to the royals also revealed: “It was always their dream to be financially independent and pay their own way. [2020] started out with a lot of excitement and anticipation. Harry was finally doing what he’d wanted to do for years, and to have Meghan and [20-month-old son] Archie with him was all he could have asked for.”
