‘Megxit’ & the 2018-2020 Eclipses

I discovered with interest and some surprise, that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to give up many of their royal duties in order to become more independent. Naturally, this has caused a fair amount of controversy in the British media.

However, what struck me as an astrologer was how closely their announcement (which allegedly blindsided the royal household) to essentially take a step back from royal life, chimed with the energies of the upcoming lunar eclipse in Cancer, set to take place on Friday, January 10 2020.

Why do I say that?

Well, for one thing, the motivation behind it seems to echo many of the themes that formed such an integral of the last six month eclipse cycle, including a need to heal deep-rooted trauma from childhood, as well as break unhealthy family dynamics or shift toxic situations from our lives. As I discuss in my video analysis of the January 10 lunar eclipse, this particular eclipse season, which began at the solar eclipse on July 2 2019 (and will phase out during the waning moon that follows the upcoming lunar eclipse in Cancer this month), has strong links to 2018 – the year the Sussexes got married and announced that they were having their first child. More tellingly, the July 2018 solar eclipse made some key transits, both to Meghan and Harry’s natal charts.

What’s even more fascinating is that the January 202 lunar eclipse occurred in Cancer – the zodiac sign associated with mother and motherhood – and Capricorn – which represnets tradition and the establishment – including The Firm, the nickname given to the royal family.

For me, the astrology very clearly raises the ghost of Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana, one of the most famous royal Cancerians, and the tensions experienced by her during her final years, with respect to both the royal family, and the press – past issues that are once more being highlighted by current events. It is also hard to forget that Diana lost her life whilst being chased by the paparazzi the day before an eclipse in Virgo – the same sign as Harry’s Sun – and formed part of the the 18 North saros series, which Bernadette Brady associates with worry and high stress levels, as well as illness and accidents…

As I have written elsewhere, the the lives of the members of the British royal family have a long history of being entwined with eclipses. With all of this in mind, I thought it worth having a look at the astrology to see what it can tell us about the events that led up to where the couple (and indeed, the royal family) find themselves now – and where things may be headed in the near future.

Portent? Friday the 13th Solar Eclipse in Cancer

This eclipse was unusual for all sorts of reasons. Not only did it take place near the south pole and so was barely visible to many people, but it’s effects also lasted only a month before it was superceded by the Lion’s Gate solar eclipse in August.

Chart for the July 2018 Solar Eclipse in Cancer

Pluto was a key feature of this particular event – as it is during the 2020 lunar eclipse in Cancer (which features the much-talked-about Saturn-Pluto conjunction). Back in the summer of 2018, it opposed the Sun and Moon in Cancer.

Now, the sign of Cancer is pretty significant when it comes to both the Sussexes. Not only does Meghan have Cancer rising but Harry has it ruling his Descendant. When we transpose the chart for this eclips eonto their charts, we also notice some interesting mirroring going on: The eclipse takes place very close to Meghan’s Ascendant (24 degrees Cancer), while in Prince Harry’s chart, it occurs in his 7th house of marriage, quite close to the Descendant. Quite symbolic, given that they had gotten married just three months’ before.

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  Meghan Eclipse Biwheel

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  Harry Eclipse Biwheel

However, what’s truly fascinating is the transits of Pluto. In Harry’s chart, transiting Pluto (which is opposing the eclipse Sun and Moon) is in his first house, from where it makes a trine to his natal Moon in Taurus in the 4th house of family, roots, lineage etc Interesting enough, right? Then we add into the mix the fact that the very same Pluto is making some difficult aspects (a T-square with the eclipsed luminaries to her natal Pluto in Libra, ALSO in the 4th house…

I know many astrologers will be raising their eyesbrows and nodding in understanding at this point. So, what’s the big deal about Pluto making transits to planets in the 4th house? Well, two things in this case.

Firstly, the T-square coincides with Meghan’s first mid-life transit – the Pluto square – not the most fun of events, it has to be said. Often, this transit coincides with an event that is either life-changing (Marriage and pregnancy, anyone? Notice that Pluto rules her 5th house of children and it was probably around this time that she conceived baby Archie.) Or it serves as the first of a series of wake-up calls, bringing about the first intimations of mortality. A big enough deal in and of itself.

Now, notice that Harry and Meghan have mirroring Ascendants – his is in Capricorn and hers is in Cancer – nice synastry for marriage in and of itself. Then consider that Prince Harry has Pluto in his first house, and she has it in her 6th, close to her Descendant. Pluto makes POSITIVE transits to his natal planets, while for Meghan, it makes challenging ones. So, in effect, by marrying, Meghan and Harry changed each other’s lives.

In his case, for the better – the trine to the Moon suggested that it healed some wounds around losing his mother (the Moon = the mother in a natal chart, and Harry’s is very strong = dignified in Taurus in the 4th house). In Meghan’s case, however, it caused a whole lot of family drama and media controversy, especially around her father in the build-up to the royal wedding (worth remembering when we get back to 2020 and allegations of press intrusion and bullying …) which partially helps to explain the T-square.

But for better or for worse, transiting Pluto’s transits to both their 4th house planets also seems to have sewed the seeds of potential drama, conflict and transfomations to home and family – including the Firm… which brings us full circle to the January 2020 lunar eclipse AND it’s accompanying Saturn-Pluto conjunction…

Releasing Trauma and Letting go of the Past

Chart for the January 2020 Lunar Eclipse in Cancer

As I explain in my video synopsis of the current 2019-2020 eclipse cycle, together with the astrology of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction, the January lunar eclipse essentially forms a very emotional climax to the previous six month eclipse season, which began in July 2018.

Key features of this particular six month eclipse cycle included:

• Dealing with past trauma that may have been triggered by events ocurring during the lunar cycle/synodic month begun by the solar eclipse
• Healing or therapeutic work designed to clear ancestral patterns or help to repair emotional wounds or sabotaging behaviour patterns linked to family dynamics or sub-conscious beliefs acquired during childhood
• Dealing with dynamics or issues relating to bullying, abuse and/or narcissism, especially in small groups such as family units or close personal relationships

So, it seems pertinent that in the last six months, we have seen Harry and Meghan sue the press for breach of privacy, after one newspaper published a personal letter to her father. So, again, we see the connection to family – her father in particular – rear it’s ugly head again.

Harry, obviously found the whole experience very triggering, saying in the October 2019 statement:

There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives. Put simply, it is bullying, which scares and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. …

Though this action may not be the safe one, it is the right one. Because my deepest fear is history repeating itself. I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.

Press statement – https://sussexofficial.uk/

He went further, likening it to the way his mother, Princess Diana was treated by the media, particularly after she separated from Prince Charles and lost her right to royal protection. (And as we know, Diana died the night before an eclipse in a traffic accident after being hounded by press photographers on motorbikes).

All themes very closely aligned to the last eclipse cycle, which closes out during the waning moon of the January 2020 lunar eclipse. So the timing of the Sussexes announcement to retire from public life is stunningly synchronistic.

Now, what is particuarly fascinating about this eclipse is that it also features a once-in-35 year event: a Saturn Pluto conjunction in Capricorn. The last one was back in 1982, the year after Meghan was born (and, incidentally, the same year that the Duchess of Cambridge was born – she also happens to be celebrating her burthday the day before the eclipse – another astrological highlight worth mentioning).

This astrological transit has been going in and out of orb for some time, including much of 2019, so in many ways, it’s perfection on January 12 is really the culimination of trends that have been slowly building up pressure for some time. event As I said in my eclipse season forecast, this event could express itself in a number of ways,. But one could ertainly be drastic changes or endings, as well as revelations concerning hidden bullying or abuse, particularly within institutions, including banking and the press; as well as the underbelly of society eg our appetite for gossip which funds the tabloid press, for example. So, again, the timing seems very spooky.

So what’s next for the Sussexes? Well, the 2018 solar eclipse probaly holds some major clues. Why? Because it occurs, rather uncannily, in the very same DEGREE as the current eclipse. The only difference being that now, the Sun and Moon will be on opposite sides of Meghan and Harry’s charts. On a general level, this eclipse could signal the end of a very painful chapter in their lives and potentially bring some healing (Pluto trines Meghan’s natal Chiron and Sun-Pluto-Moon will trine Harry’s natal Sun AND Moon). Let’s hope so. Nobody deserves to suffer ongoing abuse. intrusion and bullying simply so that someone else can make money; or the extremely triggering and draining pressure of constantly being publicly judged, scrutinised and criticised. I wish them both well.

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