Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have continued using their royal titles in certain capacity – despite stepping down from the institution in 2020.
Prince William is unlikely to make the bold move, says a royal expert.(Image: In Pictures via Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have dramatically departed from their roles as working royals in the UK to lead a different life in California, but they’ve held onto their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. The issue of the couple’s royal titles has stirred up controversy recently, with speculation rife about whether Prince William might choose to revoke them once he ascends the throne.
Although the ex-working royals are no longer permitted to use their HRH titles for commercial purposes, Harry and Meghan continue to identify themselves as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. These titles were bestowed upon them by Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day in 2018.
There’s been a lot of noise from those opposed to the Sussexes calling for the removal of their titles, but there’s no sign that King Charles plans to do so. However, with William, 42, next in line for the throne, rumours suggest he might adopt a different approach, particularly given his strained relationship with Harry, 40, which according to royal expert Jennie Bond, could be permanently damaged.
However, she cautioned that this might not be a feasible outcome, particularly considering the finer details involved in revoking titles. Speaking to the Mirror, she said: “Granted, there seems to be a public appetite for stripping them of their titles, but I think it’s unlikely that William would choose to do this. It would seem, and in fact would be, quite vindictive. There is also the question of whether a monarch can indeed do this.
“Some titles could be removed at the discretion of the Sovereign, but the consensus is that to strip someone of their Peerage requires an act of Parliament. Harry was bestowed with the titles Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron of Kilkeel upon his marriage in 2018.”
Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals back in 2020.(Image: 2018 Getty Images)
She continued: “And it would be a bold government that dares to tread into such territory when there are, truthfully, far more urgent matters to address. King Edward VIII retained his Duke title for the remainder of his life, despite living in exile.
“William may remain permanently estranged from his brother, which would indeed be a sorrowful situation. But, if that’s the case, I believe he will continue to view Harry as irrelevant to both his personal life and to this country. And I don’t think he would bother himself with the task of revoking either of their titles.”
Harry and Meghan’s children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, who celebrates her fourth birthday next week, were not automatically designated prince and princess at birth because they were not the grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II, who was the reigning monarch at the time.
However, their entitlement to these titles was confirmed in September 2022 when Charles ascended the throne, officially making them Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex, who are sixth and seventh in line to the throne respectively.
In response to criticism questioning this decision, especially considering the couple’s previous efforts to distance themselves from the Royal Family, a statement from the Sussexes clarified: “The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”
Meghan sparked another title-related controversy last month when a podcast video showed she had sent a gift basket to a friend with a card reading: “With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex.”
Representatives from the Sussexes maintained that this wasn’t a violation of any agreement, as they still have the right to use HRH privately.
When they stepped back from their Royal duties in 2020, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the royal family.”
Given the evidence that Meghan continues to use the HRH title, Jennie suspects that the couple would feel “hurt and angry” if William were to completely strip them of their titles. “For Harry and Meghan, it would, of course, be a very public insult,” she commented.
“Curiously, even though they have turned their backs on rejoining the working royals, they seem very wedded to the idea that their children should use their royal titles. And Meghan is clearly not averse to using her HRH, even though she was expressly told not to.
“So I’m sure they would be hurt and angry if theirs were taken from them. It would, inevitably, reduce their standing, particularly, perhaps, in the eyes of the American public, who seem to adore royalty. But I simply do not think this is going to happen.”
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