The bizarre title Meghan Markle would take on if King removed Duchess of Sussex role
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have faced persistent demands for them to be stripped of their titles after stepping down from their institutional roles.
Meghan Markle would still hold a royal title by virtue of her marriage to a blood prince (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle would still be entitled to use a royal style even if the King decided to remove her Duchess of Sussex title.
Since Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties, there have been sporadic demands to strip them of their royal titles.
Accusations of the royal household leaking stories about them, as well as their business deals with major corporations like Netflix and Spotify, have led some critics to accuse the couple of capitalising on their royal status.
Recently, the pair launched a new website featuring Meghan’s royal coat of arms, and the Duchess has also unveiled her latest business venture – American Riveria Orchard, which is branded “by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex” on its official Instagram and website.
However, even if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles were officially removed Meghan would still hold a royal title, albeit an unusual one, as one royal expert noted.
Harry and Meghan have repeatedly been urged to give up their titles since stepping down (Image: Getty)
As Harry is a prince by birth, if his Dukedom – bestowed upon him by the late Queen Elizabeth at his wedding to Meghan – were revoked, he would still be a prince, and Meghan would be known as Princess Henry.
This mirrors another royal, Princess Michael of Kent, who also adopts the feminine form of her husband’s title, in line with tradition, as she married into the Royal Family and Prince Michael does not hold another title.
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward weighed in on the debate surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s titles, saying, “I don’t think anything will happen to the titles because, if they lose their titles, Harry is still a prince of the blood, and Meghan, instead of being the Duchess of Sussex, [would] be Princess Henry.
“That really would [confuse the Americans]. I think [it’s] probably best just to leave it because it looks unkind, it looks unnecessary.”
Seward added: “The Queen gave them the titles, let them keep them – they’re going to be ‘H and M’ anyway.
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“I think the best thing is to leave them, ignore them, and let them get on with it – which is really what the Palace and the Royal Family are doing.”
Despite Prince Harry losing the ‘His Royal Highness’ style after stepping back from royal duties, as did Meghan, he remains a prince by birth.
With Charles ascending to the throne, Archie and Lilibet are now entitled to use the titles Prince and Princess as well.
In addition to the blow removing Harry and Meghan’s titles would be to to King’s already-struggling relationship with the pair, the process would also come with a lengthy process.
Under current regulation, an Act of Parliament would need to be tabled requesting the pair be stripped of their titles.
The proposed act would have to clear the legislative process before the King was able to give assent and proceed with the removal of the titles.