Meghan Markle was reportedly working towards becoming a British citizen, after tying the knot with Prince Harry in 2018.
WATCH: Caitlyn Jenner heard Harry and Meghan are house hunting in Malibu
But now, it has been speculated the Duchess’ recent decision to step down as a senior member of the royal family and move to Canada may effectively jeopardise her “five year” process to citizenship.
According to Express, Meghan’s time out of the country may ruin her chances of becoming a natural Briton – or at least affect her eligibility this time round.
The government website states that in order to be eligible for British citizenship an applicant must adhere to strict criteria, which includes remaining in the country for a set period.
“You should not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the three years before your application [or] spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months,” the website states.
That said, the authority states there are exceptions to the rule, if the applicant’s partner works abroad – either for the UK government or an organisation closely linked to it.
Despite marrying Harry is 2018, Meghan is technically still considered an American citizen by the British government.
A friend of the Duchess reportedly confirmed to Mail Online that Meghan is yet to finalise her citizenship details – however recent events may jeopardise the process.
“Meghan is not yet a British citizen,” the friend reportedly told the publication.
“It might seem extraordinary, given that she’s been married to the Queen’s grandson for 18 months, but she accepts that it’s a slow process.”
Meghan’s citizenship shock comes after American magazine Globe speculated that she and Harry will end their relationship within the next five years.
According to royal commentator Wayne Dupree, “Meghan will leave [Harry], inside five years, possibly three.”
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