Prince Harry addresses his and Meghan Markle's royal decision

Prince Harry told a London charity event Sunday he and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, had "no other option" but to step back from working as senior members of Britain's royal family.

Why it matters: In his first speech since the couple agreed to relinquish their "royal highness" titles in order to split their time between the U.K. and North America, Harry expressed "great sadness" about the move. He alluded to British press harassment in his speech, saying "the media is a powerful force." They hoped to continue to with duties "without public funding," he said. "Unfortunately, that wasn't possible."

Go deeper:

• Harry and Meghan Markle to repay $3.1 million in taxpayer funds, forego titles
• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to "step back" as senior royals