The rest is still unwritten. The Crown’s Helena Bonham Carter and Josh O’Connor weighed in on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s exit from their royal duties at the 2020 SAG Awards on Sunday, January 19.
When asked what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s next moves should be after they decided to step back from their family, O’Connor told reporters on the red carpet that the couple “can probably do anything.”
“I’m sure they are very talented and can go off and do whatever they want,” the actor, who portrays Harry’s dad, Prince Charles on the Netflix series, explained.
Carter, who plays Queen Elizabeth II’s sister, Princess Margaret, agreed. “Absolutely. I think the world is their oyster,” the actress said. “It will be very interesting to see what they do, but now they’re masters of their own destiny and good luck to them.”
Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, first announced their plans on January 8. The 93-year-old queen confirmed that she reached an agreement with the twosome on Saturday, January 18.
“Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family,” the monarch said in a statement. “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family. I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.”
The following night, the duke spoke about the situation for the first time at a dinner for the Sentebale charity at The Ivy Chelsea Garden on Sunday, January 19.
“The U.K. is my home and a place that I love. That will never change. I’ve grown up feeling supported by so many of you and I’ve watched as you welcomed Meghan with open arms as you saw me find the love and happiness that I’d hoped for all my life,” he told the crowd. “Finally, the second son of Diana got hitched. Hooray. I also know that you’ve come to know me well enough over all these years to trust that the woman I chose as my wife upholds the same values as I do. And she does. And she’s the same woman I fell in love with. We both do everything we can to fly the flag and carry out our roles for this country with pride.”
Harry added that the decision brings him “great sadness.”
“The decision I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges and I know I haven’t always gotten it right but as far as this goes there really was no other option. What I want to make clear is, we’re not walking away,” he said. “And we certainly aren’t walking away from you.”
The cast of The Crown is nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 2020 SAGs. Carter and Olivia Coleman (Queen Elizabeth II) are also up for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.
