5 Things That Will Change for Harry and Meghan When William Becomes King

Prince William's reign may still be some time away, but it is already raising questions about what the future could look like for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. With the brothers' relationship still believed to be strained and William expected to lead a slimmer monarchy, life for the Sussexes could look quite different once he takes the throne. Let’s look at a few major changes that might take place once William becomes King.

Even after leaving the royal fold in 2020, King Charles and Harry have still remained in touch. After Charles announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2024, Harry flew to the UK to meet his father at Clarence House. The two met again in September 2025 for an hour. However, Harry's relationship with Prince William has remained far more distant, and they have not contacted each other in two years. Moreover, Harry and Markle learned about Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis from television, at the same time as the public. Once William becomes King, that door Charles has kept open may finally close, making any reconciliation even less likely.

Harry and Meghan have already been largely outside that circle since stepping back in 2020, missing major events like Trooping the Colour and Buckingham Palace balcony appearances, apart from occasions such as Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and King Charles' coronation. But when William finally takes the throne, there may be even less room for the Sussexes at official royal events. It is possible that Palace access and invitations for the Sussexes will be far less common.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet officially became prince and princess after King Charles took the throne, but those titles don't necessarily mean they will have royal jobs one day. Prince William has long been expected to lead a much slimmer monarchy with only a small group of working royals, and reports suggest Archie and Lilibet are unlikely to be part of those plans. The fact that they're growing up in California, away from royal life, only adds to that.

Harry lost his automatic taxpayer-funded police protection in 2020. Since then, security for him and his family during UK visits has been decided on a case-by-case basis by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), something Harry has spent years fighting in court. He has repeatedly said the current setup makes it difficult to bring Markle, Archie, and Lilibet to the UK. When William becomes King, that situation is unlikely to improve. With Harry already outside the circle of working royals, his security could become even more limited or be scrapped altogether once William becomes King.

Harry and Markle agreed to stop using their HRH titles, even though they were never officially taken away. In other words, they still have them but are not supposed to use them publicly or for commercial purposes. The topic came up again in April 2025 when a gift Markle sent to a friend included a card that read, "With Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex." Her team said it was a private gift, so it did not break the 2020 agreement. The use of the title is said to have frustrated William, with several reports claiming he could take a much tougher approach once he becomes King.