Megxit From the Museum: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Have Been Swiftly Removed From the Royal Displays at Madame Tussauds

The royal family may still be sorting out its own reaction to
the stunning announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle,
the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will be “stepping back” from their
official royal responsibilities. But one institution has responded
swiftly and decisively to the news: Madame Tussauds.

No less than 24 hours after the couple’s decision was made
public via a lengthy Instagram post, the wax museum in New York and
London has removed their figures from the displays dedicated to the
royal family.

The statues previously stood alongside wax depictions of Queen
Elizabeth Il; Princes Philip, Charles, and William; and Camilla,
Duchess of Cornwall.

“From today, Meghan and Harry’s figures will no longer appear in
our Royal Family set. As two of our most popular and well-loved
figures they will of course remain an important feature at Madame
Tussauds London as we watch to see what the next chapter holds for
the them,” the general manager at Madame Tussauds in London, said
in a statement first reported by CNN.

In New York, the statues will moved to the “A-Listers” room,
which features likenesses of Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, RuPaul, and
Anne Hathaway, among others. The figures of the Duke and Duchess
first debuted in New York in May 2018, just days before they
married.

The couple has stated their desire to split their time between
the UK and the Americas—news that has pleased the wax museum, which
seems to be under the impression that the only thing separating
them from spending lots of time with Harry and Meghan was the
Atlantic Ocean. “We look forward to spending more time with the
couple in North America and we will continue to watch to see what
the next chapter holds for them,” a spokesperson
from Madame Tussauds New York said in a statement issued to
Artnet News.

Speculation is already growing that Canada could become the
couple’s new part-time residence, in light of Markle’s previous
home in Toronto and their visit, earlier this week, to Canada House
in London, where they thanked Canadian emissaries for their
hospitality during a recent visit to the country, according to
Reuters.

The announcement, which has been dubbed “Megxit” by the
Daily Mirror, has sent royal-watchers scrambling to make
sense of the couple’s decision. Much of the blame has been placed
on their poisoned relationship with the British tabloid press,
which has attacked the Duke and Duchess for their insistence on
privacy and has thrown racial epithets
at Markle.

Late last year, Prince Harry went so far as to blame the media
for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, openly worrying that a
similar fate could befall his wife.

“My deepest fear is history repeating itself,” he wrote in a
statement in October. “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife
falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

The post Megxit From the Museum: Prince Harry
and Meghan Markle Have Been Swiftly Removed From the Royal
Displays at Madame Tussauds appeared first on artnet
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