The Duke & Duchess of Sussex’s ‘six week break’ starts next week

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality!

Well, we have an update on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s “six weeks off,” which I still don’t really believe? We heard a few weeks ago that the Sussexes would be taking six weeks off for “family time” following the Remembrance Day events (this week and this weekend). This is right around the time last year when the British tabloids went absolutely buck wild smearing Meghan, almost as if a very concentrated anti-Meghan narrative was being pushed by several different factions in the Royal Family. Perhaps Meghan and Harry simply wanted to avoid a repeat of that this year, and decided to tap out. Or maybe they just wanted to go to LA for Thanksgiving and somehow it just ended up becoming “six weeks off.” Anyway, here’s a better timeline:

Remembrance Day festivities will mark Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s last public engagement until Christmastime. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to take time off from their royal duties following their working events in the coming days, which include a visit to The Field of Remembrance on November 7, the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on November 9, and the Remembrance Day Service on November 10.

While official dates of Harry and Meghan’s break have yet to be confirmed, the couple is expected to return to the public eye around Christmas. (The royal family famously gathers for celebrations and church service during the holiday.) It’s customary for royals to take the month of August off, but since the Sussexes continued working during that time, their break begins next week. They will also spend a majority of their time off in the United States. It was previously reported that they would spend their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor’s first Thanksgiving in Meghan’s home country. A source tells BAZAAR.com, “They plan to spend time as a family for their first break this year.”

[From Harper’s Bazaar]

I still halfway believe that Harry and Meghan will return to England after Thanksgiving and probably continue to work in the weeks before Christmas, but God knows. I’ve been warped by years of watching the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge do a flurry of events in December to try to get their year-end royal-event numbers up. The Cambridges’ activities have also warped me into thinking that December is the royals’ “busy season.”

Also: the Telegraph reported some of Meghan’s comments during her trip to Luminary Bakery’s second location opening last week, which we discussed at the time. There were more quotes though. She told the Telegraph that she “doesn’t want people to love her — she just wants them to be able to hear her.” Meghan also spoke about how she doesn’t like all of the royal protocol fluff and she always tells people: “let’s just be really relaxed, keep everyone nice and chilled, because at the end of the day we’re all just women. We all have a story to tell, and I feel honored that I am getting to hear yours.” The Telegraph also noted that Meg is in the middle of “weaning, feeding, an almost permanent state of exhaustion.”

Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex attend the WellChild Awards

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

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69 Responses to “The Duke & Duchess of Sussex’s ‘six week break’ starts next week”

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  1. Kittycat says:

    I don’t believe it is 6 weeks off in the sense where the Sussexes dont work.

    They still need to officially launch their foundation.

    • MCV says:

      “They still need to officially launch their foundation.”

      that’s next year I think

      • notasugarhere says:

        That means they’re working on it now, finding board members, trying to get staff, get all the legal paperwork done, get accounts set up. It isn’t like they wave a wand and poof, fully-formed non-profit exists. Because they’re doing both a US and UK version, they might have to be completely separate when it comes to legalities.

    • Abena Asantewaa says:

      All Royal duties come to an end around mid Nov. They all have time off till around Christmas, but see how the report is being skewed as if The Sussexes are shirking their royal duties, and gallavanting off to jolly old America for a holiday. The intention is to attract vitroil from the Public. Meghan is American, her mother is in America, it is befitting that, Archie is taken to America to visit his only Grandmother, Doria can’t always fly over to England to see them. Harry has a good relationship with Doria, so I hope they have a fantastic time there. My only concern is that, The ghastly RR know Doria’s house, and would flog there, so I hope they rent somewhere secluded; A gated, perhaps.

  2. Seraphina says:

    I say good for them. After all Meghan has been through, to shut out the world and just relax and recuperate with her baby and husband sounds great. And maybe some “me” time. If anyone deserves a hiatus it is she.

    • Aliyah says:

      Agreed. I don’t think it will be six whole weeks, but it’s good that they’re getting a break.

    • Susannah says:

      I agree, the Cambridge’s are currently on a month-long break and no one seems to care.
      KP mentioned that Kate would be getting back to work after staying home with her kids for the half-term break but the engagement they mentioned was on the 15th and she had already been home for a couple of weeks with them.
      Considering everything Meghan has been through and that she worked throughout her maternity leave, she deserves to take six weeks off!

      • Lorelei says:

        The Cambridges are basically on a eight-year break.

      • Seraphina says:

        @susanna, no one cares because Kate has no peers so who can we compare her to? 🤣

        @Lorelei, cheers to that statement!

      • Becks1 says:

        You all are being a tad unfair to Kate, methinks. Her magical talent doesn’t just “happen,” she has to recharge between engagements, come on now!

        Even though apparently she thrives on her workload.

  3. Bella DuPont says:

    I genuinely wonder what sh-t storm will blow up as a result of their trip to the US for Halloween.

    I can just feel the British press brewing and creating and manufacturing the scandal and outrage in advance, ready to hit them, as soon as the land. Or maybe they’ll show some restraint and wait till they return to the UK.

    Either way, it’s coming.

    • Peg says:

      Thanksgiving.

    • Toot says:

      They went to the US for Halloween?

    • Bella DuPont says:

      Excuse me…..I meant thanksgiving! 😅

    • Lucy De Blois says:

      Exactly what I fear and think: the storm will start as soon they take the plane to USA. People, no matter if royal or not, have a tendency to understimate the others. It’s never good. It’s hard to believe with so many people, supposedely inteligent, around H&M, there’s no one to advise them against it. I’m afraid the blow will fall and harder than ever; it would be almost childish to think differentely. With H&M here, doing the duties, fighting the bad press with a good grace, putting smiles all over, William making photos op and creating situations to bring his brother and sister-in-law to the worse angle possible (that picture of them running with bags to the airport doors won’t go down my throat until the day I die), and the tabloids every day finding a new light to make MM to look worse… And to put a touch of pepper on all that soup, some open racist comments leaking to the press from different individuals…. No, thanks. It would be too much naive in my opinion if someone expects that, the moment H&M turn their back and go to other country to enjoy few moments of peace, they (RF, courtiers, staff of BP/KP, and old Charlie, – yes, him. Do you really think he’s not jealous of the popularity of his young son? Come on, the guy IS mean) will say: ohh… Goodie! They traveled to rest, let’s give them a break too! Maybe it will happen. But doesn’t sound logic and according with the previous events. I wish them all the best. But I also wish I’m wrong.

  4. PsychoBot says:

    I hope they take the full 6 weeks to relax and just enjoy their marriage and kid.

    Side note: Today is the first day of Luyanda Botha’s trial (the man who raped and murdered Uyinene), I thought SR would do a follow up post bc her death was one of her talking points here in SA. He confessed so I hope he gets life. Her family deserves justice.

    • Bella DuPont says:

      I’m generally against the death penalty, but this is one of those cases where I’d happily turn a blind eye to the firing squad, for this monster.

      • Bettyrose says:

        I think the Super Max gets it right. Let the the worst criminals sit in a solitary cement box for life. That’s worse than death.

      • Lady D says:

        That’s where I want Trump and his spawn to end up.

      • PsychoBot says:

        @Bella: There was a petition going on online for the death penalty to be brought back, but its just a pipe dream. Still, I hope it was still a thing– it would serve as an example to these monsters we call men in SA.

        Recently, a 22 year old white dude got life for raping a 6 year old girl in a restaurant restroom, he got life so I’m hopeful.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Did they ever catch the person who stole the ribbon Meghan tied up at the memorial?

      • PsychoBot says:

        @NOTASUGARHERE: Ahh no, I don’t even think they were seriously looking into it– it was just a ribbon.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I’d think it would mean something to her family, no? Unfortunate, especially if the person was stealing it to sell.

  5. S808 says:

    I don’t believe six weeks but I hope Meghan gets a breather. Hopefully the press makes due with the other family members (maybe discuss the pedo among the ranks?) but I’m not expecting much.

  6. aquarius64 says:

    I hope the Sussexes relax and take their time. Sussexroyal Foundation launches January 2020.

    • aquarius64 says:

      I hope the Sussexes relax and take their time. Sussexroyal Foundation launches January 2020.

      Christmas wishes for Meghan and Harry

      Bad Dad will have to testify in the Letter lawsuit..and reveal he has been on the Fail’s payroll.
      Scammy will be charged with cyberbullying…and worse.
      William’s wandering scepter is exposed…beyond Rose.

      • Bella DuPont says:

        👏👏🎉🎉🎊🎊🍾🍾💋💋

        From your mouth to Gods ears👂! And to add another one, Piers Morgan gets sued and loses all his money, his heinous show gets shut down, and the Daily Fail fire him! 🍾🍾😁😂 (all wishful thinking, but still🙏)

      • Dee Kay says:

        @BellaDuPont I would rather that Piers Morgan and all his TV tabloid ilk go away than anything. I wish the entire propaganda arms of UK rags and Fox News in the US would shut down. I detest how they prey on people and spew lies. That goes for CDAN too.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Don’t hold your breath but you might get part of your wish in another way. People from a news network (ABC?) have accidentally admitted they were ordered to stop investigations about Andrew for fear of not getting access to W&K. There’s bound to be more behind that story.

  7. Sarah says:

    Because we love Meggie and Harry! Stories about them bring me joy. Almost every other item is soul-sucking, from KK to the KKK.

  8. Mignionette says:

    Good for them.

    Happy first Thanksgiving to King Archie!

    Lets see how the Brit tabloids survive without the yearly Meghan bonus. Even the Telegraph online Icon has three people – Boris Johnson, Meghan and Ben Stokes. When you consider that she also has her own tab on the daily heil, it makes you understand how valuable she is to the UK press-pack as a commodity. I hope they all have SHITTY with a capital S Christmases.

  9. Miriam says:

    I don’t believe they’ll take 6wks off, I mean look we’re on 5th Nov and they STILL haven’t left!! I could see them ONLY taking 2wks and coming back for UK pre Christmas engagements(plus doing stuff for Oprah doc in US)
    This coordinated & sanctioned smearing campaign isn’t working so I wonder what are the courtiers planning?😡

  10. Beli says:

    That’s very specific about them not doing “public” engagements. That says to me that they’ll still be things going on behind the scenes.

    Whether or not what will count in their numbers remains to be seen. It looks like a lot of Meghan’s work that we know about hasn’t gone into the CC this year. She could have got 2 for her tally out if the visit to the Luminary Bakery and interview, but I’ve not seen anything recorded yet.

    • Peg says:

      I think Meghan don’t give the info to the CC, because she don’t want the drama with the RR.
      The proof is in the pudding, her work stands up.

  11. Bliss says:

    K. Good to know. I’ll markle my calender.

  12. Becks1 says:

    Yeah, they’re definitely not going to take 6 weeks completely off, because if that time doesn’t start until after Sunday, then the 6 weeks will go into mid-December and I’m sure there are a few things planned for them.

    I do think its funny that there is so much hype and speculation over this break, and Kate literally disappears from public view for over a month and people are just like “oh she’s a mother!!!!!!!”

    • Beli says:

      Well exactly. A six week gap between engagements is standard for the Cambridges. No announcement, no one blinks an eye.

    • Lorelei says:

      I kind of wonder why they announced it, because all that does is draw attention to it? They could have just slipped under the radar like the Cambridges.

    • notasugarhere says:

      “They plan to spend time as a family for their first break this year.” That’s some groundbreaking reporting from Bazaar and their royal source.

  13. RoyalBlue says:

    Agreed with the general consensus they are not taking 6 weeks off. Yes they will spend time with friends and family in the US and I hope they stop by Canada too, but knowing them, even though they may go dark with social media, they will continue to IG an Inspirational quote now and then and they will support charities in December so they will still find ways to reach out to their followers, and they will have lots of off the record meetings on the side as they plan the US arm of their foundation.

  14. Peg says:

    I would not be surprise if Meghan and Harry stay at a private house in LA, because Doria”s house is close to the road and they know the Paparazzi will have it stake out.
    Or they may not even turn up in LA until after Thanksgiving, they’re not going to give BP their vacation plans to leak to the media.

    • Harla says:

      I agree Peg, renting a house in Malibu would make more sense and then Archie could take a mini dip in the ocean.

  15. Marie says:

    I think Harry postponed his paternity leave until the holidays. I feel like this was planned in advance since royal engagements are made months in advance. He never really took a paternity leave after Archie was born. I am glad they are taking a break, they definitely deserve it. I really hope they are left alone.

  16. SIPNBUBBLY says:

    I don’t think they will stay for 6 weeks. The press will probably invent some new outrage about them taking time off even though other royals do the same. I don’t think they care about getting their engagement numbers up like the Cambridges. But I’d be surprised if they miss the annual memorial carol service for Harry’s friend that passed away. Harry usually attends every year and I think Meghan read poem or something last year. Then you have the Queen’s Christmas lunch. I think they’ll return at the beginning of Dec.

    • Mignionette says:

      Agreed – they’ve been priming the Heil readership for a mini abdication of sorts for weeks now. Cue vitriol in the comments, M&H will return in about 4 weeks and it will be explained that they came back due to public pressure.

      Cute pics of the feuding four on Christmas morning, Christmas card which is quickly ridiculed again by the Heil. Finally an apology will appear on page 30….

      Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat….

  17. ArtHistorian says:

    Meghan’s law suit is really starting to get international attention. Today, it was a front page story on one of the biggest and most respectable news papers here in Denmark (in the print edition, I haven’t checked their online version). It is pretty much front and center in every news stand in the country.

    This is quite remarkable since the BRF is rarely covered in anything other than the weekly tabloids here.

    • aquarius64 says:

      That’s what scaring the British press and the reason for the Kate can do no wrong stories. The press likes Kate because she won’t fight back.

  18. yinyang says:

    Meghan and Harry you don’t need to tell us. You are not in line of succession stop sacrificing so much of yourselves, let W&K pick up the slack!

    • bamaborn says:

      Thank you, Yinyang! Let the so called “Future future King and Consort” get off their behinds and do something. Relax with your wife and baby.

      • Lucy De Blois says:

        If you remember well, Kate didn’t have any fits during the last pregnancy, demanding one year of vacations. She has (they said) hyperemesis gravidarum. There’s no possibility you just stop doing it once you are pregnant; everytime you get pregnant it appears. No one can control; the best medical treatment can make you fit to carry on your pregnancy to the end. Only that. Coicidentaly, Kate was pregnant of Louis when Harry married and she carried her duties normally. Remember her playing on an event? All, and I mean all the months she was pregnant, she looked perfectly ok. Differentely of George’s and Charlotte’S pregnancies (Harry was single) when she was locked in her mother’s house or inside her own; I watched it very carefully because I’m an unfortunate friend of this illness: it goes in my family. There’s no way you get pregnant and it vanishes out of thin air with no traces.

  19. FC says:

    Re: end-of-year numbers, I wonder if the Cambridges are trying to get theirs up and told the Sussexs’ to lay low for the rest of the year so the final numbers don’t look bad for W&K? I could see Will throwing a little hissy about it and Harry being like “Eff it we’re going to LA and taking a nice long break”.

    Between that and trying to get pregnant again away from the RRs, the downtime makes sense.

    • Lady D says:

      As much as he wants to, William has no say over Harry and cannot force Harry to carry out his orders.

      • FC says:

        I don’t think Will has a real say, but I do think this is H&M giving a double middle finger to him and the BRF while also taking care of their own wellbeing.

  20. Liz version 700 says:

    Huh. A story just broke that says Buckingham palace pressured ABC to kill a story about Epstein that was amazing….I wonder perchance if this is why the fixer tan ran for the hills

    • Becks1 says:

      Why the pressure if Andrew is completely innocent and they were barely friends??

      I bet you’re right about that being part of the reason behind the fixer’s departure.

      ETA so it seems that that happened a few years ago (while Epstein was still alive), so that makes even more sense in my mind to be the reason behind the spin guy’s departure – if he just found out about this and was like, WTF are you all doing.

      • Liz version 700 says:

        Becks1 exactly this is going to be a massive black eye for them. Can you imagine? Oh say btw way we forgot to mention we have been threatening news organizations for several years now about that Epstein fellow….what do you mean you quit.

  21. Senator Fan says:

    M & H should take the time off and enjoy their family. Going to the US for Thanksgiving for Harry and Archie’s first US holiday will be nice for their family.

  22. Emory Thornswallow III says:

    What exactly are they taking a break from?

  23. PsychoBot says:

    @NOTASUGARHERE: Unlikely, there hasn’t been anything in the news or social media about it besides the theft, unless I’m unaware of it. I’m sure the memorials meant a lot to them– they were at almost all post offices.

  24. blunt talker says:

    An ABC reporter told the story of how the royal family pressured them to drop the story on Prince Andrew and Epstein. The royals threatened the reporter with not having access to William and Kate for the forseeable future. I knew in my heart all this stuff and lies about Meghan was to keep the news off of Prince Pedo. This reporter has confirmed my suspicions.