Meghan Markle and Harry: Expert discusses Sussex Royal record

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Meghan Markle, 39, and Prince Harry, 36, have held onto their Duke and Duchess of Sussex peerage and HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) style despite no longer being working royals. The couple’s recent commercial activity has prompted some critics to call for them to lose the titles altogether. However, Sussex fans have hit back online claiming Meghan would become known as “Princess Henry” if she lost her Duchess title.

Would Meghan become Princess Henry?

According to a constitutional expert, it is highly unlikely that the Sussexes will lose their HRH styles and Duke and Duchess titles because there are very few historical precedents for it.

The most likely way Harry would lose his Duke of Sussex title would be to renounce it himself by petitioning the Queen, constitutional expert Iain MacMarthanne claimed.

While Meghan would technically become “Meghan, Princess Henry of Wales” if this happened she would not be known as “Princess Meghan.”

Mr MacMarthanne told Express.co.uk: “Were the Duke of Sussex to use the 1963 legislation and renounce his peerage he would automatically revert to being HRH Prince Henry of Wales, and when his father became King, HRH The Prince Henry.

“If Prince Harry were to renounce his peerage his wife would cease to be the Duchess of Sussex and would instead become HRH Princess Henry of Wales and subsequently HRH The Princess Henry.”

Meghan only has her Duchess title through her marriage to Prince Harry, Mr MacMarthanne made clear.

He said: “It should be remembered that as far as his wife is concerned she enjoys his titles as a courtesy of their marriage, she does not hold them in her own right, and consequently she would not be formally known as Princess Meghan.”

The academic added: “The application of her own name would only be appropriate were she to divorce, and in keeping with custom her Christian name would prefix her former title, thus becoming Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at present, or Meghan, Princess Henry of Wales etc in the future, should the Sussex peerage have been renounced by that stage.”

In the instance that Harry and Meghan chose to give up their titles themselves then they would become Mr and Mrs Harry Mountbatten-Windsor, Mr MacMarthanne explained.

He said: “If Prince Harry were to choose to renounce his peerage, and petition the Queen to relinquish his royal styles and titles, and presuming no courtesy title of ‘Lord’ is assumed, being the son of a duke himself, then TRH’s Prince and Princess Henry, Duke and Duchess of Sussex would become Mr and Mrs Harry Mountbatten-Windsor, or by whatever other name or names they might chose to be known.”

Why Harry and Meghan WON’T lose their titles

Harry and Meghan are unlikely to lose their titles because there is a lack of historical precedent for such a move.

Mr MacMarthanne explained: “There is in some quarters a feeding frenzy at present for the removal of all or some of Prince Harry’s titles.

“However, before entertaining such an idea there are a few first-stage considerations to be embraced.

“Within the context of present circumstances, Prince Harry was born an HRH and prince, and there is no modern precedent for someone born as such being stripped of these styles and titles.

“The Sussex peerage is a hereditary creation and was given as a gift by the Queen.”

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He added: “Similarly, as with royal styles and titles, there is no modern precedent for the forfeiture of a royal peerage.

“There are however historic exceptions where both have occurred and as such alternative precedents have been established, but these have been exceptional: where the individuals concerned were considered enemies of the state, such as in 1917, resulting in George V stripping German relations of their British royal titles and peerages through Letters Patent; and where a person of royal birth voluntarily relinquished their titles, again being given effect through Letters Patent, as in the case of HRH Princess Patricia of Connaught when she married.

“Presently, as far as the Sussex peerage is concerned there is now the possibility of the holder utilising the Peerage Act of 1963, and renouncing their titles for life, which any subsequent holder can also do.

“This in effect puts the peerage into abeyance until such times as a legitimate heir claims it.”

Mr MacMarthanne added: “In respect of royal styles and titles though, there is at present, no legislative means for an HRH and prince or princess to renounce them.

“It does however remain open for the individual, Prince Harry in this instance, to petition the Queen to issue Letters Patent to that effect.

“Ultimately though, as happened in 1917 by the hand of the Queen’s grandfather George V, all options remain open and with a precedent already set for the removal of royal styles, titles and peerages, when deemed necessary, this remains an established option.

“To remove Prince Harry and his heirs from the line of succession, as has also been suggested, would, however, require an Act of Parliament.”

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