London: UK's Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have announced quitting their front-line roles to focus on the "next chapter", stunning the monarchy and drawing sharp criticism from the British media which has been reporting of a widening rift within the Royal family.

In an extraordinary statement released on Wednesday night, the couple announced plans to step back from their current roles and split their time between the UK and North America with their son Archie. Buckingham Palace described the process as "complicated" as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued the statement to reveal their intention after months of "reflection" to become financially independent and set up their own charitable entity as they carve out a new role for themselves in the New Year.