Queen Elizabeth II calls royal summit after Harry and Meghan announcement

Queen Elizabeth II has summoned several senior members of the royal family to a meeting at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Monday after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced this week that they would design a new professional role for themselves and split their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

The meeting will be attended by the queen, Prince Charles and his son, Prince William, the Guardian reported. It will be the first time the entire group has met since Prince Harry and Markle released the news Wednesday, the Guardian reported.

Markle, who is currently in Canada, is also likely to be part of the meeting via conference calling.

The group will reportedly discuss different proposals for the future of the duke and duchess of Sussex, after palace officials and representatives from the U.K. and Canada met this week to discuss how the couple can create their new, “progressive” role as royals.

U.K. Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill reportedly took part in negotiations, in addition to aides from Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, according to the Guardian. 

The couple made a shocking announcement Wednesday that they are stepping back from being senior members of the royal family. They also said that they want to work to become “financially independent.”

Buckingham Palace said that “discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage,” in a statement issued after the announcement.

“We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” the statement read, according to copies shared on Twitter.

A source confirmed to the Guardian that the couple’s next steps “required complex and thoughtful discussions.” The source added that the Queen has called for the situation to be resolved “at pace” and that “next steps will be agreed at the meeting.” 

The Guardian reported that royal funding for Prince Harry and Markle will not be a part of the discussions among the continued negotiations. The couple has said that they receive 5 percent of their income from the sovereign grant, which is funded by taxpayers. 

Harry is sixth in line for the British throne.