The Queen and Buckingham Palace has confirmed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family.

It's the final nail in the coffin came nearly a year after the couple stepped down from official royal duties.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit as senior working royals in March 2020. But there was always hope they would come back after they were given a year to make a final decision. They now live in an $11 million mansion in in Montecito, California.

The Duke and Duchess have gone on to sign deals with Spotify and Netflix - estimated to be worth more than $100million.

The decision comes after Harry's grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh is being treated at King Edward VII Hospital in London.

The parents to son Archie, 1, will no longer be patronages of: the Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving, The Queen's Commonwealth Trust, The Rugby Football Union, The Rugby Football League, The Royal National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

The Sussexes - who announced on Sunday that they expecting their second child, are set for an "intimate" interview about their lives with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey on March 7.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement today: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family."

"Following conversations with the Duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service."

"The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by the Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family."

"While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family."

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A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said: "As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."

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Although the split from the royal family seems very much a joint decision between Meghan and Harry - trolls seemed to spew their hate at Meghan.

"Working royal?? Markle "worked" 72 days in 3 years. She wanted the titles,tiaras,privilege and wealth but had no intention of actually singing for her supper," one wrote.

"I think it's appalling if an American woman who must have spent a year in the UK working for the Queen under the influence of her husband birth is allowed to call herself the Duchess of Sussex for the entirety of her life while living in California. Her children are untiled and so should she be," a second added.

"Oh for heaven's sake. If anyone truly believed Megan EVER had any interest in working as a Royal, working for the Queen and our country, or doing anything of any use to the UK whatsoever, they need to give their heads a wobble. Did anyone really believe her piddly little visits to the East London bakery and whatever else she did for a few weeks were of any genuine interest to her? I laugh when I think of all the arguments I had with people who screamed "she will do great things for the women of the UK - watch!" a third chimed in.

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