Just days after spending part of their Christmas holidays on Vancouver Island, a shocking announcement came from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in London.
The Royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, posted on Instagram that they’re stepping back as senior members of the royal family, and will work to become financially independent. But it also says they plan on balancing their time between the United Kingdom and North America. The couple spent time in North Saanich over the Christmas holidays, leading to speculation Canada may play a bigger role in their future.
Sidney resident Andy Hicik said he would like to see the couple move to the island.
“That would be fantastic,” Hicik said.
Local Gary Wilton would like to see them relocate.
“That would be great. Seeing Meghan would kind of be great,” Wilton said.
And Jolene Schubert is a fan.
“I do like Meghan. I think she’s pretty cool. I think she’s like very forward with her thinking. And I think it’s cool that she would want to move here,” Schubert said.
The pair were not exactly incognito, but locals kept their cool when spotted as recently as Sunday at the Deep Cove Market. Harry Fowler said his wife spotted them first.
“We ordered our food and were sitting up at the counter. And Meghan Markle came into the door, looked my wife right in the eye, and smiled. My wife smiled back. And Prince Harry was about 10 TO15 feet away. And they wandered around the store,” Fowler said.
It may not be easy for the couple to leave their royal trappings. Buckingham Palace issuing a statement this afternoon, indicating that the situation is “complicated”.
But as far as Islanders like Fowler are concerned there’s no problem. “They’d be welcome. Especially here in Victoria.”
Mary Griffin
