LAST UPDATE | 9 Jan 2020

THE QUEEN AND the Prince of Wales have ordered their teams to find a “workable solution” over the future role of Harry and Meghan within the royal family.

A Buckingham Palace source said that senior royals have asked aides to work “at pace” with governments and the Sussexes, with an outcome expected to take “days, not weeks”.

Given the Queen’s timetable of “days” it is likely they will want any talks concluded before the Prince of Wales travels to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories at the end of the month, to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the former Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar earlier today weighed in on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s announcement that they are to “step back” as senior royals. 

Varadkar said he understood why they made the decision and wished them well in their future plans. 

“I have to say I really enjoyed meeting them and they’re very down to earth but I can totally understand, given each of their different life experiences, why they would like to have more privacy and why they would like to be able to raise their family in their ways,” he said. 

“So, I think any normal person can understand why they have taken this decision so I wish them the very best.”

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who was also asked about the move, said he was not an avid follower of the royal family but that he wished them well into the future. 

Harry and Meghan made the announcement that they would be taking a step back from their royal duties in a post on Instagram yesterday. 

The pair are planning to split their time between the UK and North America once they remove themselves from the frontline royal duties. 

“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple said.

“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen.”

It later emerged that the Queen was kept in the dark over their decision to go public and release a statement. 

In a statement, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage.

“We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”

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Meanwhile, Madame Tussauds in London has removed waxworks of the couple from the royal set.

Wax replicas of the pair previously stood next to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, but have now been moved.

Steve Davies, general manager at the attraction, said: “Alongside the rest of the world we are reacting to the surprising news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be stepping back as senior royals.

“From today Meghan and Harry’s figures will no longer appear in our Royal Family set.

“As two of our most popular and well-loved figures they will of course remain an important feature at Madame Tussauds London as we watch to see what the next chapter holds for the them.”

With reporting from Christina Finn and PA