Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Waxworks At Madame Tussauds Moved From Royals To Celebrity Section

May 13, 2021 by apost team

In January 2020, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made a bombshell announcement when they told the world that they would be stepping back from their senior roles as members of the royal family. A lot has happened since that stunning news last year. Not only have the prince and his wife taken a step back from the royal family, but they also moved to Montecito, California, where Meghan is expected to give birth to a daughter this summer. Harry also visited his home country to attend Prince Philip's funeral on April 17. Markle, on the other hand, stayed behind due to doctors' health concerns regarding the baby.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also been embroiled in a tense relationship with the rest of the royals after Harry and Meghan criticized the family for its culture in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Since that interview, the couple has largely remained at home in Southern California, where they continue to keep up their charitable work both domestically and abroad.

In light of these changes and their move, Madame Tussauds, a famous wax museum in London, announced on Thursday that they would be shifting Harry and Meghan’s figurines from the royals display to a celebrity-themed display ahead of the institution’s May 17 reopening. Back in January 2020, not long after Meghan and Harry announced that they would be relinquishing their royal duties, Madame Tussauds told the public that they had removed the duke and duchess from their royal display. Finally, we know where Meghan and Harry's wax lookalikes will end up at this famous tourist destination. 

Taking to their official Instagram account, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a statement last year announcing that they “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.”

According to Express, Madame Tussaud’s museum in London removed the Sussex’s wax figures from the museum in early January. Steve Davies, who was the director of the museum until March 2020, told the publication that this is simply a reaction to the news of their departure.

"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,” Davies said in January 2020.

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

Although the figures have been moved, Davies clarified in 2020 that they would remain on display in the museum — just not as royals.

Less than a week out from the museum’s reopening in London, which is set to take place on May 17, Madame Tussauds released another statement, announcing that Harry and Meghan’s wax counterparts would be placed in the museum's celebrity section — the Awards Party wing — alongside Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, the Beckhams and George Clooney, according to The Sun.

"The launch of Awards Party brings back the fun and excitement of a stylish night out that London has been craving since the start of lockdown,” said Tim Waters, the institution’s current general director, on May 13, 2021.

"Ever watchful of the celebrity landscape, we've also moved Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's figures to join their Hollywood friends, reflecting their new status on the world stage as A-list favourites."

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Markle’s wax figure was added to the museum shortly prior to her wedding to Harry on May 19, 2018, according to Express. Initially, the figure was placed next to Harry in the royal display in a separate area dedicated to their union. 

That changed, however, in August 2019 when the museum moved Markle’s figure to a room dubbed the “A-list party room,” which featured other celebrities like the Beckhams, Priyanka Chopra and Tom Hardy. The move was made in an attempt to highlight Markle’s “independent celebrity status,” according to Davies, the former director. Her figure was returned to the royal display following much criticism from social media.

The public’s reaction to Thursday’s announcement remains to be seen, especially given the current controversies surrounding the royal family. Waters’ statement didn’t seem to address any of this, however; instead, he focused on describing the new exhibit.

“We’ve put a lot of thought into the design of Awards Party to really make guests feel like a VIP, experiencing a star-studded evening where they are the night’s big winner,” Waters said.

“The unveiling of our new Awards Party zone is just the first in an exciting line-up of launches that will set us up for an unmissable summer," he added.

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum located in London, though there are several satellite institutions located around the world. Founded by Marie Tussaud in 1835, a French artist known for her wax figurines, the museum has become one of the world’s biggest tourist attractions, featuring wax models of prominent figures and pop-culture icons like Darth Vader, Rihana, Usain Bolt and William Shakespeare.

What do you think of the museum removing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the royal display to the Awards Party section? Let us know — and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!