Harry and Meghan left Archie in Canada amid drama

Ever since Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan dropped their royal bombshell on Wednesday, the stories surrounding their "step back" from the BRF came fast and furiously. There's been a lot of speculation and while many have expressed admiration, others have attacked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with thoughts ranging from disappointment to disrespect to disgust.But one of the questions that hasn't been asked was, where has Archie been in all this? We all just kind of assumed he was safely ensconced in Frogmore Cottage, mastering his crawl, maybe bopping around to some children's music or playing peekaboo with Grandma Doria but turns out, the eight-month-old wasn't even in the country as all of this went on. When Harry and Meghan made the trip home from Canada earlier this week, they decided to leave Archie behind, under the care of her best and trusted friend, Jessica Mulroney, along with a nanny, according to Harper's Bazaar. But the fam won't be apart long; in fact, mother and son may have already reunited as the mag detailed that Meghan was flying back to Canada on Thursday evening, with Harry expected to follow shortly afterwards.[video_embed id='1871220']RELATED: Harry and Meghan are taking a 'step back' from royal life[/video_embed]"They're feeling confident," a friend told Harper's Bazaar. "Harry and Meghan are aware that they'll be criticized, perhaps even vilified, for taking control of their lives but creating a positive future for themselves and their family has always been their priority." And, really, take away the Royal Family business, the institution, the company, and that's what it all comes down to: two people doing what they feel is best for themselves and their son.

 

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A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Nov 27, 2019 at 7:26am PST

Harry and Meghan have always handled their business a little differently than other senior royals, from their openness at work engagements to how they communicate via their Instagram page (and now, official website). Heck, even when they supposedly break royal protocol and show a little affection, people treat that like a big deal.If you look back, the couple began distancing them long before they shocked the world with their groundbreaking announcement. Harry and Meg handled Archie's birth differently than other royals, keeping the personal details to themselves. They broke away from the Royal Foundation. They even spent their holidays away from everyone else, and choosing to spend a quiet, intimate Christmas in Canada, and skipping out on the annual celebration with the Queen and the rest of the royals at Sandringham, could've been what solidified their life-changing decision. Seeing that that life could actually be an option, all while maintaining their royal duties, seems like a win-win.

 

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A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jul 6, 2019 at 8:14am PDT

As for all the reports that Harry and Meghan totally blindsided the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William, Harper's Bazaar reported that wasn't the case. Conversations about the Sussexes' future plans and objectives have been going "on all levels" for several months leading up to their announcement. This hasn't been a "crisis" that needs to be averted but rather, "a case of helping the couple reach their goal." What they didn't know was that the news would be made public so soon, but that only came about after their agenda was leaked to British tabloid, The Sun."They felt they had been cornered," said a source close to the couple. "It was a case of act now or lose control of something they had spent a long time working on."Which is an example of the issues the Sussexes are hoping to avoid with their transition. Just to reiterate, on Wednesday, Harry and Meghan revealed that they plan to step away from their roles as senior royals and focus on a "progressive new role within this institution." The Sussexes added that they plan to balance their duties to Her Majesty, all while working towards becoming financially independent, meaning they will no longer be taking from the government-funded Sovereign Grant, thus allowing them to fund their own philanthropic interests and charitable projects.As as far as splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America? Well, Archie's extended stay in Canada and his parents' prompt return is just the beginning.

 

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A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Dec 31, 2019 at 12:15pm PST

 [video_embed id='-1'] Adorably fluffy puppy goes where the brush goes[/video_embed]