In May 2018, Buckingham Palace announced the Queen was “pleased” to grant Prince Harry a new title, which would then extend to Meghan Markle “on marriage”. The announcement read: “Prince Harry thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, and Ms. Meghan Markle on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.”
However, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from Royal Family duties in January 2020, their disentanglement from the Royal Family included giving up certain titles that came with Firm duties.
They no longer go by the HRH titles, but have maintained their use of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex name.
This may be down to the Queen’s inability to take back such titles from Meghan and Harry once they have been granted, unlike the HRH title, a constitutional expert has told Express.co.uk.
Dr Bob Morris described how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles “have a special condition – that is, they can’t be removed unless there’s an Act of Parliament”.
Dr Morris, of the Constitution Unit at University College London, said the “HRH Queen news: Monarch powerless to strip Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of Sussex title | Royal | News can be given or taken away by the monarch of the day”, but once a Duke or Duchess title is conferred, “it would require an Act of Parliament to remove the title”.
However, just because the Duke and Duchess of Sussex retain this title, does not dictate they must continue to use it.
Prince Harry and Meghan have attracted criticism for continuing to use the titles across the Atlantic for…
