Prince Harry's friend JJ Chalmers told us why Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping down.

One of the biggest news stories to hit the world this week was Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping down as "senior" members of the royal family (opens in new tab) and moving between North America and the UK (opens in new tab).

This is big news for the royal family, especially as even Queen Elizabeth was somewhat taken aback by the news. Despite the new parents' statement explaining their decision, there were many questions (opens in new tab) and reactions (opens in new tab) over this unprecedented royal move (opens in new tab). Apparently, the couple's close friends decided to speak for them in response to this shocking news.

JJ Chalmers, a close friend of Prince Harry, told People (opens in new tab) that Harry and Meghan made this call for one particular reason.

"He's more of a captain in the army that I know, and the first person I would ask him is his father," Chalmers said.

"The decisions he's made, I think the bottom line is to protect his family.

Archie, Meghan and Harry's 8-month-old son, seems to be the main reason the couple is taking a big step away from their normal royal life. After a year of tabloid (opens in new tab) and scary moments, it's really no shock that Harry and Meghan want some kind of change. They mentioned their son in an Instagram statement on Wednesday.

"This geographical balance will allow us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal traditions from which he was born, while at the same time providing space for our family to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charity," they said.

There is still much to do here, especially since the couple has not yet (open in new tab) announced their exact place of residence.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

Click here to register (opens in new tab)

.