After plans were announced this week to strip King Charles III’s brother Andrew of his “prince” title and force him to leave his Windsor home, royal observers are suggesting Prince Harry and his wife Meghan might be in line for the same treatment.
Why It Matters
After mounting pressure over the private life of Queen Elizabeth II’s third child, now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his involvement with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that Andrew would lose all his royal titles and leave his 30-room mansion in Windsor and move to Charles’ private residence in Norfolk, eastern England.
While Andrew’s dramatic fall from grace seemed inevitable after his ties with the pedophile financier became clear, there have been ongoing discussions since 2020 in sections of the U.K. media over stripping Harry and Meghan of their titles, after they stepped down from their royal duties and moved to North America.
Removing a royal title is within the power of the current monarch, which is done with the publication of something called a ‘letters patent’, a legal document authorised by the monarch under ministerial advice. The document can make public appointments, confer honours, grant city status or signify Royal Assent to legislation.
What To Know
Prince Harry is the second son of Charles and Princess Diana, brother of direct heir to the throne Prince William. In May 2018, he married American actor Meghan Markle, and the two assumed the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
In early 2020, the couple renounced their role as working royals and moved to Vancouver Island, Canada, for a few months, then onto Los Angeles later in the year.
The two have been critical of the royal family through the years, with Meghan claiming during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in a 2021 that she had been bullied by the staff at Kensington Palace, and was aware of concerns among royal family members of how dark her child Archie’s skin would be.
Their decision has angered some members of the British public and the media, two groups with whom Harry has long had something of a fractured relationship.
It is likely out of this same sentiment that several Daily Mail readers have called for the removal of Harry and Meghan’s titles in the aftermath of Andrew being stripped of his. The British tabloid reported that several readers wrote in to say that removing the couple’s title was necessary to save the British monarchy.
Royal observers are suggesting that William has taken control together with Charles, who recently recovered from a cancer diagnosis.
“Prince William has seized control of the British Royal Family,” journalist Dan Wootton wrote on X. “While I have genuine sympathy for the monarch on a personal level, his weakness over Andrew—not to mention Harry & Meghan—has imperilled the future of the monarchy. His heir knows that.”
An anonymous source told British-American journalist Rob Shuter that news of the stripping of Andrew’s title “blindsided” Harry. “His stomach dropped,” the source said. “He thought titles were untouchable. Now he’s not so sure.” Shuter also reported that an anonymous insider told him Meghan was equally affected by the Andrew news.
What People Are Saying
Wootton said in a YouTube video this week: “A precedent has been set. A monarch can now remove a Duke title and even a princely title. So Harry and Meghan should be afraid. Very afraid. Because trust me: it’s now a matter of when, not if, the same thing happens to them.”
Royal correspondent Kinsey Schofield told TalkTV, after being asked if she thought the couple was “next” in being stripped of their titles: “I think so. I think you should watch this space, because the King has shown us within the last 24 hours how easy it can be.”
Peregrine Grey, from London, wrote to the Daily Mail: “It is essential that Harry and Markle are also stripped of their Royal titles given their appalling behaviour and actions which have repeatedly disrespected, damaged and abused the Monarchy.
“It is an absolute must if the Monarchy is going to survive and move forward with integrity and public respect. The public remains outraged that this action has not yet taken place.”
Another reader, Bruni Banani, said: “The Markles are next.”
What Happens Next
The removal of Andrew’s “prince” title represents a massive shake-up for the British royal family, but there are limits to its impact. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will not be formally removed from the line of succession to the British throne, the U.K. government said, according to the BBC.
Andrew is currently eighth in line and it would take an act of parliament to remove him.
Despite renouncing his royal duties, Harry is still fifth to the throne.