Prince Hurry and his wife Princess Meghan on Wednesday quit senior royal roles in a move which caught the Queen and family members off guard.
The couple have been unsettled since 2018 when they married with family differences at times escalating to the public.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on their Instagram account, Sussex Royal, that they were going to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family” and try to become financially independent.
"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," said Harry, sixth in line to the throne, and former actress Meghan in a statement.
"We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages."
Hurry and Meghan have been subjected to intensive media scrutiny over their alleged lavish lifestyle, forcing them to sue a British tabloid for defamation.
But the move seems to have irritated Queen Elizabeth II, their grandmother, who is approaching 94.
Buckingham Palace said discussions with Harry and Meghan were at an early stage.
"We understand their desire to take a different approach but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through," it said.
Harry and William received more than 5 million pounds from their father, Prince Charles, last year and it was not immediately clear how Harry and Meghan would achieve financial independence.