| This is an OZY Special Briefing, an extension of the Presidential Daily Brief. The Special Briefing tells you what you need to know about an important issue, individual or story that is making news. Each one serves up an interesting selection of facts, opinions, images and videos in order to catch you up and vault you ahead. WHAT TO KNOW What happened? In an Instagram post to their 10-million-plus followers, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) announced that they’ll be stepping back as senior members of the royal family, splitting their time between the U.K. and North America, and aiming for financial independence. It was a bombshell to royal watchers — and, apparently, to Buckingham Palace, which reportedly had not been consulted before the announcement and issued a terse statement shortly after that said “discussions … are at an early stage.” Why does it matter? The young royals (Harry is sixth in line to the British throne) have been battling with the British press for as long as they’ve been a couple, and they’ve promised a “revised media role” in the wake of this big change, including a focus on grassroots media. Harry’s mother, Princess Diana (pictured), died in a car wreck while being chased by paparazzi, and Meghan — who is biracial — was mocked by the press from the get-go as “straight outta Compton.” The couple have initiated legal action against some newspapers for alleged phone hacking, and opened up to others about the toll that living in the spotlight has taken on their young family. But the British press has long gone easy on members of the royal family — and without that protection, Harry and Meghan may find their new situation difficult in some ways. | 