Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are DEMOTED on Royal Family website

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been demoted on the official Royal Family website since they left their senior roles and moved to the US.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now listed below Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex, as well as the Princess Royal and the Duke of York on the official site.

The Prince of Wales’ growing role as an active heir preparing to ascend to the throne is reflected in his own promotion to the top of the ‘Royal Family’ section on www.royal.uk.

The Queen has been removed and is instead featured higher on the page. 

Despite the reshuffle, the website still claims the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be ‘balancing their time’ between the UK and the US.  

It comes as Prince Edward and his wife the Countess of Wessex took part in their first major interview since their marriage in 1999.

The couple shared a laugh over Harry and Meghan’s controversial Oprah interview as they insisted the royals remain a family ‘no matter what happens’.

It was recently revealed Sophie is one of four loyal, discreet and ‘utterly trustworthy’ women of the Queen’s inner circle who are offering crucial support as she faces life without her beloved Prince Philip, who died on April 9, aged 99. 

Elsewhere, the Princess Royal was moved up five places to sit below the Duchess of Cambridge on the website page. And the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were added to the bottom, just beneath the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Pictured, as it was on April 22

How the website looks now, left, and how it used to look on April 22, right. Of the website change, Buckingham Palace told MailOnline it had no comment ‘other than that we refresh the website regularly’

Of the website change, Buckingham Palace told MailOnline it had no comment ‘other than that we refresh the website regularly’. 

Elsewhere, the Princess Royal was moved up five places to sit below the Duchess of Cambridge on the website page. And the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were added to the bottom, just beneath the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Under the Duke and Duchess of Sussex the website reads: ‘They are continuing to honour their duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and their patronages.

‘Frogmore Cottage in the UK remains their family home.

‘The Duchess will continue to support a number of charitable causes and organisations which reflect the issues with which she has long been associated including the arts, access to education, support for women and animal welfare.’

Royal fans were confused when the official website went down briefly, and quickly spotted the changes once it was set live again.

One tweeted: ‘@KensingtonRoyal @RoyalFamily still have #meghanmarkle #princeharry in the royal website? Why?

‘They are not working royals and they aren’t “dividing their time between the UK and North America” why are they being promoted on the website?’

The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral was the first time Prince Harry returned to the UK since he and his wife Meghan stepped down from their senior royal positions.

It comes as another blow following revelations the Earl and Countess of Wessex will join Prince Charles in a slimmed down monarchy.

Yesterday, speaking in their first major interview together since they married in 1999, the Earl and Countess of Wessex jokingly asked 'Oprah who?' and 'what interview?' when quizzed on whether they watched Harry and Meghan's bombshell sit down with the US chat show host

Yesterday, speaking in their first major interview together since they married in 1999, the Earl and Countess of Wessex jokingly asked ‘Oprah who?’ and ‘what interview?’ when quizzed on whether they watched Harry and Meghan’s bombshell sit down with the US chat show host 

Harry and Meghan previously complained they felt ‘pushed out’ by the Firm following their decision to step down from their senior rank. 

Yesterday, speaking in their first major interview together since they married in 1999, the Earl and Countess of Wessex jokingly asked ‘Oprah who?’ and ‘what interview?’ when quizzed on whether they watched Harry and Meghan’s bombshell sit down with the US chat show host.

They also reflected on Prince Philip a little over a month since his funeral – with Prince Edward describing how coronavirus restrictions created an ‘extremely odd’ ceremony, and the particularly poignant moment ‘when everything stopped’.

In the Wessexes’ first public comments since that momentous day, Sophie explained: ‘We are still a family no matter what happens, we always will be.’ 

The Countess of Wessex also admitted to having a ‘lengthy chat’ with Harry after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April.   

A royal source previously commented on the Countess of Wessex' close relationship with the Queen. ‘Sophie is like another daughter to the Queen, they are that close,’ they said. ‘She is trusted and relied on like few others’

A royal source previously commented on the Countess of Wessex’ close relationship with the Queen. ‘Sophie is like another daughter to the Queen, they are that close,’ they said. ‘She is trusted and relied on like few others’ 

Sophie and her husband the Earl of Wessex, who married at Windsor Castle 22 years ago, said they were ‘flattered’ to be taking on a more prominent role in a slimmed-down monarchy since Harry and Meghan’s move to California.

In an interview with The Telegraph Magazine, Sophie said she had a ‘lengthy chat’ with Harry after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April. 

Speaking on the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April, Prince Edward, 57, said: ‘It was extraordinarily odd walking into St George’s Chapel and finding the nave completely empty. 

‘It’s always difficult with these kinds of things because you’re in the middle of it, so you’ve got no idea what it necessarily looks like from the outside. 

Prince Andrew sported a striped rugby shirt with royal insignia today as he went for an early morning horse ride in Windsor with a female groom

Prince Andrew sported a striped rugby shirt with royal insignia today as he went for an early morning horse ride in Windsor with a female groom

Donning dark sunglasses, a helmet, and riding slacks the Prince of York, 61, who lives at the nearby royal lodge, looked at ease as he enjoyed the June sunshine

Donning dark sunglasses, a helmet, and riding slacks the Prince of York, 61, who lives at the nearby royal lodge, looked at ease as he enjoyed the June sunshine

‘It became really poignant to be there because it was suddenly so very intimate.’

A royal source previously commented on the Countess of Wessex’ close relationship with the Queen. 

‘Sophie is like another daughter to the Queen, they are that close,’ they said. ‘She is trusted and relied on like few others.’ 

The pair are said to speak at least once a day and enjoy regular Saturday ‘movie afternoons’ when they watch old films together.  

Prince Andrew was snapped sported a striped rugby shirt with royal insignia this morning as he went for an early morning horse ride in Windsor with a female groom.

The Duke of York, 61, appeared in high spirits for the day out as he waved from atop the horse.

The Queen's second son, pictured today, recently became a grandfather for the first time when Princess Eugenie welcomed son August Brooksbank in February.

The Queen’s second son, pictured today, recently became a grandfather for the first time when Princess Eugenie welcomed son August Brooksbank in February.

The reports come as royal experts predicted the Duke of York was ‘trying to rehabilitate himself’ and get back into the royal fold – despite his brother Prince Charles pushing plans for a slimmed-down monarchy. 

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline that Andrew would ‘obviously like to be rehabilitated’, but must first answer FBI questions on his links to Jeffrey Epstein. 

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