Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received a hard blow that confirms the worst news: they are going to lose all their privileges. When Prince William ascends to the throne, significant changes will occur in the structure and protocol of the royal family, especially for Harry and Meghan. Among them, the current Duke and Duchess of Sussex will lose their royal title, putting their personal brand at serious risk.
The couple, currently in California, has maintained a tense relationship with the institution since they stepped back from their royal duties in 2020. This transition to William's reign could mean the end of certain symbolic privileges they still retain, despite having renounced their official roles.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle receive breaking news that confirms the worst
After the death of Elizabeth II and the ascension of Charles III to the throne, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's position is complicated. Their decision to step back from their royal duties in 2020 created uncertainty about their future, but they have managed to move forward. Much of this is owed to the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which has become their identity.
However, their privileges would be numbered the moment William is named king. Harry and Meghan have received the news that one of the measures being considered is the removal of their Royal Highness titles. Queen Elizabeth II allowed them to keep them as a gesture of respect, but William's vision is stricter regarding the monarchy.
He believes that those who do not work for the Crown should not benefit from or represent it, not even nominally or protocolarily at international events. Prince Harry and his wife haven't used their titles publicly for years, but this doesn't exempt them from the decision William will make.
The fact that they still appear on certain official pages as Royal Highnesses has caused confusion and criticism among supporters and detractors of the monarchy. In fact, Meghan's businesses are endorsed by "Duchess of Sussex," a title she would retain despite the removal of her Royal Highness status.
The changes ahead for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
If things are not solved between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the British Royal Family, things look very different for Harry and Meghan. While they will retain the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, granted by Queen Elizabeth as a wedding gift, they would lose the Royal Highness style. This change would not affect their social treatment in the United States, where they are simply presented as Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
However, in the United Kingdom, the symbolic and protocolary implications will be greater and more evident in official events or royal commemorations. Once William is proclaimed king, roles will be redistributed, and the Royal Household will seek to project a modern, austere image focused on duty.
In that context, maintaining privileges for those who do not actively represent the Crown would be considered contradictory to the principles William wishes to promote. Hence his decision that Harry and Meghan lose their Royal Highness title after their decision to step away from the institution.
The distance between the brothers, worsened after the publication of Harry's memoirs, complicates the possibility of reconciliation and cooperation within the new reign. This, along with Meghan's controversial statements, makes it unlikely that William will seek to reintegrate them into the official family, even under a symbolic role.
For the Sussexes, this loss of official royal title would not represent a practical change in their daily life. However, it will affect their perception in the public eye, as it will signify a total break with the British Royal Household.