Princess Anne previously said Meghan and Harry quitting the royal family was the ‘right thing to do’
The Princess Royal admitted there are ‘downsides’ to having a royal title
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Louise Thomas
Editor
There’s no going back for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after their royal exit, as the couple have - as of last week - officially said they will not return to royal duties.
Harry and Meghan first announced their intention to step back from royal life in January last year.
The couple officially stepped down as senior members of the British royal family on 1 April 2020 and have since given up a host of privileges, including the use of their royal titles, patronages and military positions for the Duke. They also relocated from London to California.
While some royal fans have been negative about the decision, Princess Anne previously spoke out in support of what was dubbed ‘Megxit’ by the media.
Speaking to Vanity Fair in April last year, Anne (Harry’s aunt) said that the move was likely to make things “easier” for the couple.
“I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles,” said Anne.
“So I think that was probably the right thing to do.”
Princess Anne, the Queen’s daughter, declined HRH titles for her own children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, breaking royal tradition.
Earlier this month, Anne offered fans a glimpse into her surprisingly normal-looking front room.
The official Twitter account for the Royal Family shared an image of The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence watching the Calcutta Cup rugby match between England and Scotland.
![Princess Anne’s front room](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/08/13/princess%20anne.jpg)
In the image, eagle-eyed fans could spot family photos and beloved books among the Princess and her husband’s possessions.
In the top left, a black and white portrait of Anne with her daughter Zara as a baby and her oldest child Peter can be seen.
Many Twitter users commented in amusement on how “cluttered” and ordinary the HRH’s front room appeared.
One tweeted: “Love to see that their TV watching room is as cluttered as the average commoner, maybe more so!”
Another commented: “I feel a little claustrophobic just looking at all the stuff in their living room!”
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