Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have officially split royal households from Kate Middleton and Prince William.
Following months of speculation, Kensington Palace have confirmed the Fab Four have broken up their joint “court” by creating two separate offices.
In a statement, the Palace told PEOPLE, “This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for The Duke and Duchess’s work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage.”
While the Duke and Duchess of Camridge’s office will remain in Kensington Palace, where they live with their three children, Meghan and Harry’s office will move to Buckingham Palace.
The news comes ahead of Harry and Meghan’s move to Windsor, which will take place before she gives birth to their first child in late April.
Speaking about their decision to split households, royals author Sally Bedell Smith said, “The arrival of Meghan has changed the dynamic of the relationship in a fairly significant way.”
“It is inevitable and practical because it gives Harry and Meghan some freedom to build up their own collection of interests and charities. Meghan has very strong views on what she is interested in and that may be what Harry shares, but not what William and Kate share.”
“I think it really is just a shift in priorities and interests,” she continued. “William is a husband and father of three and his focus is primarily on them, and Harry will soon be a father.”
“Each of them will continue the very strong representative of the Queen in carrying out tasks and assignments that she, and probably their father, wants them to do. They are going to be sharing in this diffusion of activities on behalf of the Queen,” she added.
