Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have no plans to appear at public engagements for two weeks, according to a source, as they avoid drawing attention away from King Charles's tour of the Caribbean.
An insider told The Times that Harry wants to avoid drawing attention away from the Royal Family and is "mindful" of not causing a distraction from his father's nine-day trip.
Low profile during half-term
Harry and Meghan's absence from the spotlight is also due to it being half-term. The couple will spend the holiday with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
According to the source, it is "never" Harry's intention to divert attention away from King Charles or Prince William.
Past criticism of engagement timing
Usually, members of the Royal Family who carry out royal duties do so at staged intervals so as not to steal the spotlight from each other's work. The Sussexes have previously been criticised for the timing of some of their engagements amid claims they were inadvertently taking attention away from the Royal Family.
Since the couple returned to the UK in August, they have appeared at a public engagement together just once, in Nottingham. Meghan and Harry may appear in one more outing as a couple this year, the source told The Times.
King Charles's Caribbean tour
The head of state kicked off the tour of the Caribbean on Tuesday, when he arrived in the Bahamas. It may prove to be a challenging trip for the King, who is under pressure to apologise for Britain's role in the slave trade.
King Charles danced through the streets of Nassau on Wednesday after joining a carnival parade. The monarch joined performers, swaying to the rhythm of a marching band and shaking maracas in Parliament Square.
The nine-day regional tour includes a solo state visit to Guyana. It will culminate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting hosted by Antigua and Barbuda and presided over by the King. Charles will be joined by Queen Camilla.
He told attendees at an event in Nassau on Wednesday that it was only right to acknowledge the great suffering and injustices of the past even while rejoicing in the successes of the present and building new opportunities for the future. Charles was speaking at the Future Bahamas Youth Rally and Exhibition at Clifford Park, the historic site where the Bahamas officially gained its Independence in 1973.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "At the request of host Governments, the King's programme will primarily focus on shining a light on the many modern partnerships and opportunities for the future that are having a transformative effect on the region, as it confronts the challenges of today."
"For His Majesty, this tour is both a new journey but also the continuance of a lifelong one, in which he has sought to engage, understand and educate about the most shameful aspects of our past. This will therefore also be reflected in differing ways and words during the tour, as you would expect."
