People: No, the British monarch cannot remove the Sussexes’ titles

Since Monday, the Windsors and the British media have been losing their minds over HRH The Duchess of Sussex. As in, they’re mad that Meghan knows her name and title and she uses both privately. But, but… the Sandringham Summit! But Queen Elizabeth II! They’re so determined to have a meltdown about it that they’re now making a big fuss over Meghan’s “M” monogram, which she designed with a little crown atop the “M.” Per the Daily Mirror, “The Duchess of Sussex sent products from her new lifestyle brand to social media influencers with personalised notes using a royal monogram, in what palace insiders say goes against the late Queen’s wishes.” QEII expressed her wishes about Meghan’s monogram? I don’t think so, but I do know that QEII expressed her wishes in writing about the Sussexes’ security, and King Charles completely disregarded her wishes on that subject, so it looks like “adhering to QEII’s wishes” is not compulsory for anyone.

On Tuesday, the Daily Beast’s Royalist published an exclusive with “friends of Prince William” and various “royal sources” who all threw raging tantrums about Meghan’s HRH. Apparently, when William is king, his first act will be “stripping” Harry and Meghan’s titles. That story was picked up by many outlets, so much so that some outlets even pushed back on it in notable ways. Like People Magazine, which published “No, the British Monarch Can’t Take Away Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Titles.”

Meghan Markle’s use of her “HRH” styling has renewed the conversation about royal titles — and if she and Prince Harry may lose theirs following their step back from their roles. Despite reports that Prince William plans to remove his brother and sister-in-law’s titles when he becomes king, the British monarch’s power on the matter is limited.

Queen Elizabeth granted Harry and Meghan the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their 2018 wedding day, and the removal of a dukedom would require legislative action through an act of Parliament. However, that has the possibility to change. In recent years, there have been discussions about introducing legislation that would grant the monarch or a parliamentary committee the power to remove royal titles. The “Removal of Titles Bill” was proposed to provide such authority, but it has not been enacted into law.

Despite stepping back from their working royal roles in 2020, Harry and Meghan retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, which are reflected on the royal family’s website and across their ventures.

Speaking to PEOPLE in a recent exclusive interview, Meghan described “Sussex” as her “shared name” with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3. “It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognized how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” she said. “I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.”

While the couple continues to use their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, Prince Harry and Meghan agreed not to use their “His/Her Royal Highness” styling after their step back from royal life. However, a photo emerged of a gift basket that Meghan gave to a friend with a note reading, “With compliments of HRH the Duchess of Sussex,” set beneath Meghan’s royal cipher. PEOPLE understands that while they retained the styling, Meghan and Harry do not use their HRH titles for public or commercial ventures. The note, from more than a year ago, was part of a personal gift rather than a business-related endeavor.

According to The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, a professional association for barristers in England and Wales, the “HRH” honorific would be the easiest for a British sovereign to remove.

“At present, the Sussexes (like Prince Andrew, Duke of York) have agreed not to use the appellation while they have abandoned royal duties, but it is clear that it could be withdrawn by the King, a decision that would not be amenable to judicial review,” Master Graham Zellick, a professor of public law and tribunal judge, wrote. “In any case, removal of the honorific on the basis of giving up the role of a working member of the royal family and living abroad could hardly be faulted.”

By birthright, Harry is also a prince. This title is conferred by letters patent and is not usually subject to removal.

[From People]

I appreciate People’s breakdown in the wake of the tantrum in the Daily Beast. I’d just like to point out that when people are screaming “take away their titles,” sometimes they mean the Sussex ducal titles, which as People Mag notes, would basically take an act of Parliament to remove, but sometimes they mean the HRH-style. Like, HRH is conflated with a “title” too. Interestingly enough, Gert’s Royals also got involved:

Annual reminder: The British Monarch does not have the power to remove titles.

Parliament can remove titles & the Honors Forfeiture Committee can removed honors. But they would only do that after that person has been found guilty of a serious crime.

Being on the outs with the… https://t.co/d0hOIvMm1H

— Gert’s Royals (@Gertsroyals) April 30, 2025

Photos courtesy of YouTube and Backgrid.