Why Are Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Dropping Their HRH Titles?
After a 11 days of uncertainty, it’s been confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will drop their royal titles, and withdraw even further from their current lives as senior royals than first thought.
Harry and Meghan’s initial shock announcement, made little more than a week ago, originally suggested that they wanted to remain as working royals – although not prominent members – and become financially independent.
But almost as soon as the statement was released, royal experts and commentators pointed out that the dual approach may in fact be fraught with difficulties.
Earning money from lucrative contracts and still remaining active members of the monarchy would have been problematic due to a potential conflict of interest, especially as they are now free to strike whatever commercial deals they wish.
Rumours of future work have already been circulated – including a potential project for Meghan with Disney.
Despite their newfound freedom from royal protocol however, they have maintained they will “continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.”
The couple will continue to be referred to as the Sussexes – Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex – but will no longer be referred to as His or Her Royal Highness, as they are no longer working royals.
Harry and Meghan said in their statement, issued on their behalf by Buckingham Palace, that under the agreement they understood they were “required” to step back from royal duties.
BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph told BBC Radio 5 Live: “When they first issued that statement about what they wanted, they talked about forging this progressive role within the royal family, about stepping back from royal duties.
“This isn’t stepping back, it’s stepping away entirely.”
The deal is a hard “Megixt” for the couple – as the issue has been dubbed by the media – and a source told PA news agency “you can’t be half in and half out”.
