in 2019 Prince William and Kate officially removed all mention of Prince Harry and Meghan from their royal charity. Video / AP
A royal deadline is looming, the outcome of which could change the face of the royal family forever.
March 2021 will see the 12-month "Megxit review" for Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Will they officially rejoin the royal family or will they negotiate a permanent exit?
Since they left the royal family on March 31 for a trial period, the world is a vastly different place.
The Covid-19 pandemic has overshadowed what should have been a triumphant display of the impressive things Harry and Meghan could achieve without the constraints of the royal family. Instead, they've been mainly holed up on Zoom in their California mansion.
Travel bans have also meant the Sussexes haven't spent time with the royals since they left the UK in March, no doubt making family ties feel looser than ever.
Recently, Harry and Meghan have found themselves embroiled in a new drama after signing a deal worth millions with Netflix just before season 4 of The Crown aired and creator Peter Morgan painted Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles and the Queen in a less-than-favourable light.
A friend of Prince Charles even referred to the portrayal of the royal family as "highly sophisticated propaganda".
Harry and Meghan are facing a review of their Megxit decision, nearly a year after leaving the UK. Photo / Getty Images
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, the Prince's friend reportedly said: "It is quite sinister the way that Morgan is clearly using light entertainment to drive a very overt republican agenda and people just don't see it."
The March negotiation could throw up a lot of contentious issues for Meghan and Harry, their "royal status" no doubt being the main topic of debate.
"There are two titles involved, there is the HRH status and then there is the actual title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex," royal historian Robert Lacey told the Express.
"Obviously if the review in March concludes they can't stay working royals, then it's quite likely they would lose or forfeit their HRH styles."
