Prince Harry and Meghan will not be returning as working members of the royal family

A statement released by Buckingham Palace read that "Following conversations with the duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

"The honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the duke and duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of the royal family.

"While all are saddened by their decision, the duke and duchess remain much-loved members of the family."

The patronages that will be redistributed among working members of the royal family are: the Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving, the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League, the Royal National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the departure from the responsibilities of royalty about a year ago, and are now living in the US. There has been some recent speculation as to whether or not they would make a return as the one year anniversary of their leave has drawn to a close.

A statement from Harry and Meghan's camp said that "As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role. We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."

The change in status comes after a year long review of Meghan and Harry's place within the family after their statement as to their intentions of financial independence.

Since then, there have been public pregnancy photos for the couple's second child, high-profile lawsuits against the press, and a much-anticipated upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey, set to air in March. The pair also have contracts with both Netflix and Spotify.