The sign that suggests that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle may lose their titles

sign prince harry meghan markle lose royal titles
(Image credit: Getty)

The Queen yesterday released a statement on the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - but the wording of the message suggests a question over Harry and Meghan's royal titles.

  • Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle are said to have been in talks with other senior royals to discuss how they will go forward in the monarchy, following their decision to 'step back'.
  • Following the meeting at Sandringham, the Queen issued a statement revealing that she is ‘entirely supportive’ of the Sussexes’ decision.
  • In other royal news, there’s a surprising reason why the Queen once wore her hat backwards.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan may be at risk of losing their royal titles after announcing that they want to ‘step back’ as senior royals.

The Duke of Sussex met with senior royals, including the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William, at Sandringham yesterday to discuss their future in the monarchy, with Duchess Meghan said to have joined the talks over the phone from Canada.

And the Queen has now released a statement revealing that she is ‘supportive’ of the Duke and Duchess’s wish to focus on their own family as they go forward.

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However, throughout her statement, the monarch chose to address Harry and Meghan in a rather unusual way, without using their titles, as she normally would. Instead, she simply called her grandson and granddaughter-in-law Harry and Meghan, suggesting that going forward, the couple may be at risk of losing their Duke and Duchess titles.

In official palace statements, the Queen nearly always refers to members of her family using their most official titles (Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, for example) - so her decision yesterday to repeatedly called the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Meghan and Harry, suggests their official royal names may be up for debate. It also, however, could point to just how personal the current situation within the monarchy is, that she referred to them by name.

Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family,’ wrote the Queen in her statement.

My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.

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Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.

‘It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.

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These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days’.

Of course, following their own steps back from the monarchy, Princess Diana and Fergie, the Duchess of York, were able to continue using their royal titles, so it's not unlikely that Harry and Meghan will keep theirs too.

We'll be waiting on tenterhooks for more news...

Aleesha Badkar
Digital Beauty Editor, woman&home

Aleesha is Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home, where she gets to share her expertise into all the best techniques, sharpest tools and newest products—with a particular savvy in skincare and fragrance.

Previously, she was Deputy Editor and Beauty & Fashion Editor for My Imperfect Life, where she headed up the beauty, fashion and eCommerce pages. In the past, she has worked as Shopping Writer at woman&home, gained an AOP awards nomination after working on their news team, contributed to Women's Health, Stylist and Goodto and earned an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London.