Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to Canada to ‘shield’ Archie from ‘tension’ in UK

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the decision to step down as senior royals in a bid to protect their son, new reports suggest.

• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would be stepping down as senior members of the royal family come the end of March
• It has now been claimed that their decision was influenced by the need to protect Archie from "negativity" and "tension" in the UK
• It follows royal news (opens in new tab) that Buckingham Palace has confirmed sad news for the Queen in an official statement

According to a new source, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have moved to Canada in a bid to protect their young son from "negativity" in England.

The source told US weekly, "[Prince Harry] wants to shield his son from the negativity and tension he would've been exposed to back in England."

Having always struggled with the immense pressure involved in growing up in the global spotlight, and "shutting down" his emotions following the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, Harry, 35, doesn't want his son suffering the same fate. And wants "to give Archie the most normal upbringing possible".

The couple announced their decision to take a step back from royal life and forge their own path in Canada back in January. In a joint statement Harry acknowledged the “intense scrutiny” he and his wife, Meghan, 38, had experienced since their wedding in 2018. And suggested they had “no other option” than to remove themselves from the spotlight.

They said, “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.”

On balancing their time between the UK and Canada, Harry and Duchess Meghan explained, “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.”

A separate palace insider said the move has come as a "relief" to the couple: "This is what Meghan and Harry have always wanted — to create their own life," they told People Magazine. "It's got to feel like an immense relief to get out of the UK and go down their own path."