Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stepped down as senior royals, hope to become financially independent and will be spending lots more time in Canada. It’s big, historic, complicated news—for some, at least. It also has much to teach us about effective public relations; and more specifically, a swift and successful crisis communications plan.

It seems that her royal highness, Queen Elizabeth II, deeply understands the power of a diffusive, expedient, crisis communications plan. Upon the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s self-motivated demotion from full-time to part-time royals, The queen gave her blessing to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and perhaps more importantly, she affirmed it to the press.