Yup, it's being reported by Omid Scobie and Emily Andrews on Twitter that they left Archie in Canada and Meghan has already flown back to be with him while Harry sorts things out. (And caused the BA flight she was on to leave 30 min late.)
Kind of destroys the narrative that they just HAD to release their statement and roll out their new website yesterday to get ahead of The Sun's exclusive. If I was a British taxpayer, I would be wishing them both good riddance right now.
I disagree it destroys that narrative. We know The Sun had an exclusive. We know they came back dropped a bomb, no disagreement. Anything that hasn't been an official statement is still conjecture and a whole lot of "This person reports/reported directly to the Queen/Charles," vs "I spoke to a mouthy employee" etc. etc. Maybe they got word of it while in Canada, and that's why they left Archie behind. It depends on who you want to give the benefit of the doubt to. But there's enough to go around-- there just isn't one bad guy here.
I kind of hate to say it, but my first thought on hearing the "stepping back" news was that maybe they should "step back" only after they repay the cost of their home renovations and their wedding....
?????? Did you miss in this thread where the renovations to the cottage were already earmarked prior to their residence? And anything else they got was out of their own pocket? Hell, some houses over 100 years old here need special permissions just to update the furnace, wouldn't Frogmore require special handling and styling?
Cut very useful London traffic/mapping context - I'm vastly unfamiliar with London, obviously
Why on earth are we talking about a late plane, of all things? True or false, it's also 30 minutes late. Is it okay? Hell no-- if I'm on my way somewhere fun, I get unreasonably angry when someone is inconsiderate and holds us up. But I could count the number of flights I've taken that leave on time on one hand, so I'm missing the problem here. If it wasn't her, something else would have come up. If a Princess is why the plane is late, I've got a story for life. And a princess pulling a runner?

Plus - talk about can't win with flying. She goes commercial and it's still a problem.
Such petty stuff when there's so much more interesting things we'll never know to pick apart. I'm sad if Prince Charles was not in step with his son-- not the first time, and with this track record, won't be the last. I'll give Charles the benefit of the doubt that he loves both of his sons, absolutely, but my baseless speculation is as a father would try to wait them out on this decision with delay after delay-- Phillip's health! (fair) New baby! (fair) Andrew's Scandal-- wait, what?
All this talk about H&M being impetuous is unfortunate. If the situation was growing untenable for them, then leaving now is best. Get separated, cauterize the wound and work together professionally and personally from a better place. Maybe they can be a better support for the Royal Family with that space as well. Their planning seems more thought-out than they're being given credit for. And as a tax payer, I'd want every Royal to take a more part-time approach.
Harry is his own man. Neither Prince married young-- Harry had his own opinions and complications before he even met her. He was also characterized as Will & Kate's third wheel for a bit there, which was fine with them at the time. It would be natural to feel Meghan specifically upset that dynamic, but it would have always been that way when Harry started his family, short of marrying Pippa, like everyone wanted for a hot second in 2011.
Sorry to make this annoyingly long, but comments about how Kate & the Middleton's endured garbage press for years-- yes, absolutely. It was bullshite then, and it's no less bullshite because the focus has moved on now. Let's stop lowering the bar on how people should be treated based on how badly the last person was treated.
Ooh, I'd start with your childish superiority and pettiness first. But that's just the compassion in me talking-- I'm sorry, you're not familiar?