Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit the royal family

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are quitting the royal family, they announced Wednesday.

In an extraordinary move — and after spending six weeks away in a multimillion-dollar bolthole in Canada — the couple said they wanted to take a “progressive new role” and leave their roles as “senior” royals.

The couple said they wanted to make their own money, adding they will now split their time between the UK and North America.

In the unprecedented statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.

“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”

Harry and Meghan’s marriage has been blighted by rows over their spending — and their desperate attempt at privacy — as they even refused to release where their son, Archie, was born, and who his godparents were.

But critics lambasted them as they continued to accept money from the British taxpayer.

In a documentary filmed in South Africa, the pair said they were unhappy — and Harry, 35, admitted that he had fallen out with his older brother, Prince William.

Although they were dubbed the “Fab Four,” William, wife Kate Middleton and Harry and Meghan, 38, split their royal foundation last year.

Harry and Meghan are launching their own Sussex Royal Foundation shortly.

Meghan was seen earlier Wednesday at the National Theatre in London, of which she is patron, while the couple visited the Canadian Embassy in London yesterday to thank them for their hospitality during the holidays.