Prince Harry: 'No one can take' HRH title away says expert

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Queen Elizabeth II, 94, announced her decision to remove Meghan Markle, 39, and Prince Harry’s, 36, royal patronages and Harry’s honorary military titles on Friday. The review had been due to take place in March but it is understood to have been pushed forward amid mounting speculation.

A Buckingham Palace statement confirming the move read: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.

“Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

“The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.

“While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family.”

The Queen’s statement seemed keen to highlight Meghan and Harry were still treasured members of the Windsor clan despite their decision to leave royal work behind.

The Sussexes have been based in the USA since last year and given they are expected to stay their longterm, honouring their ties to certain UK bodies is likely to have been deemed impossible by the Palace.

However, some royal commentators have suggested the Sussexes’s statement hints they were not expecting to lose their patronages.

A Sussex spokesman issued the following statement on Friday: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.”

They added: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”

While many royal watchers have praised the Queen and claimed the Sussexes knew it was coming given their stepdown, others have claimed Meghan and Harry are upset by the move.

Was the Queen right to strip Meghan and Harry of their patronages?

Express.co.uk has rounded up some of the reaction from key royal experts and commentators following the Queen’s decision.

Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer was quick to pinpoint the contrasting tones of the Queen’s message and the Sussexes’ response.

Mr Palmer tweeted a copy of the Sussexes response with the message: “The Queen believes you can’t be half in and half out.

“A slightly different perspective from the Sussexes.”

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The Telegraph’s royal editor Camilla Tominey wrote “Harry and Meghan don’t seem to understand what public service actually is” in a blistering takedown of the couple’s response to the Queen’s decision.

Ms Tominey said: “Part of the problem is that the Sussexes do not seem to understand what public service actually is.

“As a California-born former actress, Meghan can arguably be forgiven for this – but it somewhat beggars belief that Harry, a blood-born prince who grew up in the Firm, agreed to respond to the statement with the line: ‘We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.'”

Ms Tominey added: “Not only is it deeply disrespectful to engage in this sort of last word freakery with the Queen, but I also do not think the 94-year-old monarch, who has devoted her whole life to duty, needs to be lectured on service by anyone, not least when her 99-year-old husband remains in hospital.”

Sources told the Daily Mail, the Sussexes were “disappointed” by the Queen’s decision.

An insider said: “They do respect the decision but they always made clear they were committed to doing the roles.”

While royal author Penny Junor branded the Sussexes’ response “petulant” and described it as “two fingers at the institution – the men and women that run it.”

She added: “I don’t think it would be to the Queen because I imagine they think the Queen is being advised, which she is.”

The expert added: ‘It does draw a line. It’s hurtful but every divorce is hurtful. This is the decree absolute.”

While royal commentators and experts seem to widely support the Queen’s choice one blasted the royal for the powerful move.

Royal commentator Peter Hunt claimed history will judge the Queen poorly for her decision not to allow Harry and Meghan to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.

Mr Hunt told LBC: “My feeling is that where we stand now is actually that history will come to judge the Queen poorly for this decision.”

He added: “This is a family decision. This is a decision by a monarch about a grandson.

“He is her grandson and he is the son of a future king, and a compromise could have been concocted.”

Mr Hunt said: “They could have rewritten the rules if they had chosen but the Queen and the Palace have chosen not to, and I think Harry will be feeling very sad and possibly slightly bitter today.”

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