Major royal family news hit the internet on October 30 when King Charles officially stripped his brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal titles. “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,” the palace said in the statement. “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.”
The decision came more than six years after allegations that Andrew had ties to Jeffrey Epstein first surfaced. Per Us Weekly, King Charles sought legal guidance and discussed the decision with other members of the royal family before moving forward. And while Andrew’s character is certainly questionable, others are questioning if any other red-faced royals might have their titles on the chopping block as well.
Some royal watchers are wondering if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will lose their titles.
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Of course, there are a number of different reasons that a royal family member could lose their titles, though the most common reason seems to be divorce. Princess Diana was no longer able to use “Her Royal Highness” after she and Charles split in 1996. The same went for Andrew’s wife, Sarah Ferguson.
But the question on everyone’s mind is really will Harry and Meghan’s titles be next to go? So far the estranged Prince Harry and his Hollywood lifestyle has been given a pass when it comes to his family’s titles. They certainly haven’t been given a pass when it comes to the British tabloids, however.
Nothing sells quite like a royal scandal, however. And although Harry and Meghan aren’t criminals, royal fans are wondering if King Charles will keep the title-slashing momentum going and just cut royal ties with his youngest son, too.
Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the royal family
When Harry and Meghan made the decision to step down as senior working members of the royal family and move out of the U.K., Queen Elizabeth II did not strip them of their royal titles, though the decision was made that the couple would forgo the use of “His or Her Royal Highness.”
There has been a great deal of chatter surrounding Harry and Meghan’s ongoing use of their Duke and Duchess titles, but many believe that any such move wouldn’t happen until Prince William becomes king. In a recent interview with Eugene Levy for his AppleTV+ show “The Reluctant Traveler,” the Crown Prince wasn’t shy about his intent to make royal waves, as it were, when he inevitably takes the throne.
Of course, what those big changes are remains to be seen, but speculation is flying. “He hasn’t said it publicly, but the things he’s said in this interview, this big emphasis on how he will change things, is certainly being seen by a lot of people as him all but coming out and confirming that cutting Harry and Meghan completely loose is part of the plan,” a source told the National Examiner earlier this month.
One could argue that Harry and Meghan don’t need royal titles, since they are no longer part of the royal family in any meaningful way beyond blood relation. Couple that with William and Harry’s ongoing rift, and it’s entirely possible changes could be coming down the pike.
People seem fairly split on whether or not King Charles or the future King William would (or should) make the move.
“I don’t love Harry and Meghan BUT they should not have their titles stripped. William will have enough work to do when he takes over. That division is no way the same as Andrew’s alleged criminal behaviour. Let them enjoy their lives in California,” one person weighed in on the topic on TikTok.
“If they keep spreading lies, then their titles need to go,” someone else said.
There’s been talk of a slimmed-down monarchy.
Since before King Charles took the throne, there have been rumors that he was in favor of a slimmed-down monarchy. This suggested that he’d be keeping his immediate family close and perhaps cutting others out of his inner circle. It’s something that’s been widely debated, and not everyone has been on board with the idea.
“I mean, it doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing,” Princess Anne said during an interview with CBC News in May 2023. “I’d say I’m not sure quite what else we can do.” She added jovially, “I think the slimmed-down was said in a day when there were a few more people around.”
Nevertheless, it seems as though Princess Anne would be on board with stripping Harry and Meghan of their titles if the rumors about her feelings on Megxit are true. According to Radar Online, Anne isn’t thrilled with Harry and Meghan’s decision to walk away from royal life. “Anne isn’t inclined to get involved in Harry’s issues. She feels it’s not her role — he decided to step away from royal duties, and with that choice, she believes, he also gave up the backing that comes with the family,” a source recently told the outlet.
Effie Orfanides is a contributing writer for YourTango who has been reporting on celebrity and entertainment news since 2009.
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