One thing is for sure – Americans love keeping up with the British royal family. My parents’ generation got to watch Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ wedding broadcast on TV, and now our generation has been able to watch the weddings of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

On Jan. 8, Harry and Meghan announced on Instagram that they planned to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent.” This came as a surprise to most, as according to the BBC, Buckingham Palace was “blindsided” by this announcement.

USA Today details that a “senior member” is someone who is close to Queen Elizabeth and is in succession to the throne. Meghan and Harry will both still be royals, and Harry will still be sixth in line to the throne, but they will no longer be working members of the royal family.

Additionally, the BBC reported that Buckingham Palace announced that Harry and Meghan will no longer use the titles His and Her Royal Highness.

Saying that they will be financially independent means they will no longer receive money from the Sovereign Grant, which is tax-funded money that pays for royal duties. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were only receiving 5 percent of their income from this, and the other 95 percent was from Prince Charles, Harry’s father. They will continue to receive money from him after they step down.

Also, Harry and William were left about $16 million from their mother, Princess Diana. Meghan also earned $50,000 from each episode of Suits and has her own fashion collection. One can assume that they will not struggle for money.

In this video, Harry states with “great sadness” his and Meghan’s decision to step down. He mentions his mother and how the media is a “powerful force.” He is most likely referring to the fact that his mother died in a car crash after being chased by paparazzi in 1997. The couple announced they were pursuing legal action against Associated Newspapers over “alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act of 2018” and the Sun and Daily Mirror for alleged phone hacking, according to Vox.

Harry also mentions in the video that he and Meghan will continue to lead a life of service.

Their decision to leave may also have to do with all that Meghan has had to endure since marrying Harry. UK tabloids keep throwing Meghan under the bus, criticizing her relationship for moving too fast and speculating that Meghan’s assistant quit after only six months because Meghan was so demanding. These topics only scratch the surface of how awful the media has portrayed Meghan.

However, most of the hate she has received concerns her race. Shortly after Meghan gave birth to her first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, BBC talk show host Danny Baker was fired for tweeting an image of a couple with a chimpanzee with the caption “Royal baby leaves the hospital.”

Similarly, when Princess Michael of Kent met Meghan for the first time, the Princess wore a Blackamoor brooch, which is a style of art that portrays black people as exotic or subservient according to NBC.

Since the announcement that she was expecting a baby in Sept. 2018, the eyes of the world have been on Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry. While millions wait for Baby Sussex, rumors continue to swirl about everything from the name and gender of the baby to whether or not Her Royal Highness will employ a doula.

Here’s what we know for sure: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child sometime between the end of April and beginning of May. Their child will be seventh in line to the throne, just behind Prince Harry.

Their child will likely not be a prince or princess, but rather will be styled as either “Lord of Dumbar” for a boy or “Lady” for a girl.

We also know that the birth of Baby Sussex will be private. Buckingham Palace reported “Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family”

This means the public will not get to see the Duke and Duchess leaving the hospital with their newest bundle of joy in their arms. It’s believed that the Palace will announce when Markle is in labor and when the child is born. There will also likely be a picture opportunity a few days after Baby Sussex arrives.  

This announcement received mixed responses from the public. Some on social media argued that since the luxuries of royal life are paid for by tax dollars, the public has a right to be involved in all royal matters. Others praised the Duchess saying that it is her child and her choice.

The couple’s decision to not let the world be a part of this momentous event in their lives seems to break tradition. Fans of the royal family can recall the iconic images of Princess Diana leaving the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London after the birth of both her sons. Three decades later, Kate Middleton and husband Prince William could be seen on the same steps just hours after all three of their children arrived.

This begs the question: if Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge did this, why isn’t Markle? For one thing, hospital births are actually not royal tradition. Princess Diana was the first to give birth in a hospital in 1982. She was also the first to give birth while totally awake. Before that, every royal was born at home, and most mothers were drugged with a host of medications, including morphine or chloroform.

Markle is also known for defying royal protocol and favoring her own way of doing things. From her choices of clothing brands to the color of her nail polish, she seems to ignore many of the family’s traditions in favor of her own tastes. It’s fitting she would do the same with the birth of her child.

Markle is also known to believe in natural remedies for health care. She has long been interested in yoga, and before her royal title she detailed her yoga routine in one interview. Markle and Harry were also spotted outside an apothecary in London in early April that boasts famous clients such as Natalie Portman and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Kate Middleton also received negative feedback about her decision to let the world see her children mere hours after their births. In the book “Feminist don’t wear Pink (and other lies)” actress Keira Knightley criticized the Duchess for not displaying the realities of childbirth.

“She was out of hospital seven hours later with her face made up and high heels on… Seven hours after your fight with life and death, seven hours after your body breaks open, and bloody, screaming life comes out. Don’t show. Don’t tell,” Knightly said.

Perhaps Meghan wants to be spared from this ordeal. Maybe her child, being seventh in line to the throne, will have to endure the same media scrutiny as the three Cambridge children. Maybe she just wants to keep doing things her way.

Though no one knows for sure what the birth of Baby Sussex will look like, one thing is certain: the world is waiting with eager anticipation.

Some of their rules one might expect, but others stand out as questionable.

Prince Philip, married to Queen Elizabeth, must always walk a few steps behind the queen at all times. In photos featured in the press of this happy couple, Prince Philip is constantly trailing Queen Elizabeth.

Personal displays of affection (PDA) are also frowned upon in public within the royal family.

The members of the royal family adhere to a strict dress code while in the public eye. When traveling, they are sure to pack a full black dress outfit in case of the event of a death or funeral.

Prince George, son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, only wears dress shorts and long socks while in public. According to English tradition, dressing children in shorts instead of trousers is a common practice and signifies that the child is from an upper-class family. When he was young, Prince William was also dressed in dress shorts by his mother, Princess Diana.

Be thankful for your right to vote, because members of the royal family are not allowed to vote or express any political opinions while in public. Always representing with grace and excellence, the royal family must smile and nod when political matters come up in daily conversation.

When the queen stands up, so do all of her guests. When the queen finishes eating her meal, so do you. Respect for the queen is of utmost importance within members of the royal family and the public.

She is watched carefully – so carefully that if she is seen moving her purse from her left arm to her right, her staff is signaled that she is ready to move on to a new conversation and may need help escaping her current conversation.

If you see a member of the royal family strolling across the quad of William Jewell College, do not expect an autograph or a prized selfie. By no circumstances are autographs or selfies allowed with adoring fans of the royal family.

Even the diets and activities of the royal family are carefully managed. Members must be careful to avoid eating shellfish of any kind, due to the high risk of developing food poisoning. Members are also prohibited from playing the game of Monopoly, due to how aggressive and greedy they might become while building their empires.

Although the royal family must adhere to strict rules established many years ago, they are adored by people across the world as they reign with poise and dignity.

New rules are presented and considered as time passes, such as how the heir to the throne can now be male or female. Princess Charlotte, daughter of Prince William, now has the chance to become queen before her uncle, Prince Harry!

Adored by many, the royal family continues to amaze the public, even though many of their traditions and rules may appear to be unnecessary and extravagant.

Photo courtesy of Travel + Leisure.