Update:

BBC News reported today that the Duchess is already returning to Canada while the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cambridge have asked staff to help find a solution. 

ET Canada confirmed that Markle is in fact on her way back to Canada and that Prince Harry will follow next week. CTV News reported that Markle is on a flight to Vancouver International Airport that will connect her to a flight to Victoria. 

Madame Tussauds London announced today that it removed the waxworks of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the Royal Family set.

https://twitter.com/MadameTussauds/status/1215338581042122754

Incidentally, today (January 9) is also the birthday of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.

Original article:

If anyone happens to see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Vancouver in the near future, it may not be a TV movie of the week being filmed—it could be the real royal deal.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted an unexpected announcement on January 8 on their website and social media, which has been dubbed Megxit.

The statement explained that “after many months of reflection and internal discussions”, the couple has chosen to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family, and work to become financial independent”. They also announced that their next project will be the launch of a “new charitable entity”.

They also said that they will be creating a “progressive new role” within the Royal Family “while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen”.

The couple stated that they plan to divide their time “between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages”.

They went to explain that “this geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7EaGS_Jpb9

The reference to “North America”, rather than the U.S., and “the Commonwealth” has led observers to speculate that their destination will be within Canada, with the possibilities of Toronto or Vancouver being named. 

In addition, the couple spent a recent six-week Christmas vacation in Canada.

Although their exact locations were not revealed, they were spotted on Vancouver Island and the Times Colonist reported that Victoria-born musician David Foster assisted in arrangements for their stay at a luxury estate in North Saanich.

After their return to the U.K., they met with Canada’s High Commissioner at Canada House in London on January 7 to express their gratitude for their stay in Canada.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7BxCdtpbsO

Markle spent time in Toronto when she starring on the U.S. TV drama Suits, which was being filmed there. They went public as a couple in Toronto while attending the Invictus Games in 2017. Also, their new website, Sussex Royal, was designed by Toronto-based company Article. 

What is interesting to note is that Prince Harry had previously visited Vancouver and Whistler on a vacation in March 1998, with Prince Charles and Prince William, several months after the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, in August 1997.

If the royal couple do choose a base in British Columbia, it would provide Markle with a location in proximity to California, where she grew up and where her mother lives.

Vancouver has also been named on several eco-conscious lists, including one by the U.K.'s Guardian, of top places to visit in 2020 due to accessibility of nature, being the birthplace of Greenpeace (not to mention it's the homebase of David Suzuki), and green-conscious measures. The royal couple have expressed their climate concerns, such as in a recent post about Austrlia's wildfires in which they stated that "this global environmental crisis has now been described as Ecocide".

https://www.instagram.com/p/B66PeHKpOMV

In addition, Vancouver also has numerous ties to L.A., due to its development as Hollywood North for U.S. TV and film productions. In February and March 2018, the sequel to the 2018 TV movie Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance was shot in Vancouver, starring Charlie Field and Tiffany Marie Smith as the royal couple.

Security experts, however, warn that a move to Canada could be costly for Canadian taxpayers as the Canadian government would be obligated legally to protect them.

However, the unexpected nature of the announcement, which has been called unprecedented, may mean complications could disrupt any proposed plans.

BBC News reported that the Royal Family was not consulted before they issued their statement.

Additionally, Buckingham Palace issued a statement hours after the couple’s announcement, which explained that discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "at an early stage".

"We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through," it stated.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6v_KOtJinF