On Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would not be returning to their royal roles.
The couple left their royal roles in March last year; they will no longer maintain their patronage as anticipated.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said, “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.” The statement continued, “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.”
Prince Harry will lose his honorary military appointments, which will then be redistributed “among working members of The Royal Family.”
The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League, the Royal National Theatre, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities are other trusts and sponsorships that will return to the Queen, 94.
Though Prince Harry and Meghan no longer use their prized titles of His/Her Highness, along with their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they will retain them.
In an announcement, Buckingham Palace said, “While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family.”
Prince Harry and Meghan’s office said in their own statement that the pair “remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role.”
The statement read: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
Originally, the couple’s probation period was not set to come to an end until March 31.
Sources told PEOPLE ahead of the announcement that the challenge of maintaining the royal roles stems from the couple’s business relationships with businesses such as Netflix and Spotify, partnerships that have helped them become financially independent. The Queen’s view is that “half in, half out” members of the royal family can not represent the Queen and the UK while pursuing personal financial objectives.
“It was clear to her from the start that a hybrid role is not an option.” a source previously noted to PEOPLE.
Despite losing his military titles, which sources tell PEOPLE would upset Harry, he would still have his Invictus Games Foundation, which also includes the Endeavour Fund, the Paralympic-style competitions for service members. He also maintains his personal charity, Sentebale, which he set up to help fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic in southern Africa with a friend of Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. In addition, Harry will continue working with WellChild, which helps sick kids and their families.
Mayhew, and Smart Works Charity, which provides women with professional apparel for job opportunities, will retain animal welfare charity with Meghan.
