Prince William to Strip Harry, Meghan and Their Kids of Royal Titles with ‘Executive Order': Source
Prince William reportedly plans to make sweeping changes to the royal family once he becomes King, and the Sussexes won't be thrilled.
Prince William reportedly plans to make sweeping changes to the royal family once he becomes King. His vision for a leaner monarchy is not a secret, but stripping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their royal titles was always dubbed a far-fetched idea. But, according to new claims, William might do just that, and even Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet could lose their royal titles through a formal 'letter patent' once he takes the throne.
Markle and Harry, who remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex despite stepping down as senior royals five years ago, have continued to spark debate over whether they should still hold their titles. Their children were granted their Prince and Princess designations after King Charles’s coronation, though they have little practical use. The discussion around royal titles has taken on fresh urgency following recent developments involving Prince Andrew. Earlier this week, the Duke of York effectively surrendered his York Dukedom after sustained public pressure and renewed scrutiny of his past associations. While Andrew framed the decision as voluntary, insiders say it was made at the urging of Prince William.
Traditionally, royal dukedoms have been spared even in the wake of scandal. Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, for instance, retained their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor despite their exile. But according to royal commentator Tom Sykes, William’s future reign could usher in a different era. “Prince William will strip Prince Andrew, along with all other non-working royals, of their HRHs and princely titles when he ascends to the throne,” Skyes reportedly wrote for The Daily Beast.
He added that this sweeping reform would be enacted through a royal decree known as letters patent ratified by Parliament in the early weeks of King William’s reign. The plan, Sykes claims, would extend beyond Andrew, reaching Harry, Meghan, and their children, as well as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Andrew’s daughters.
If true, the move would represent one of the most dramatic recalibrations of royal status in recent memory. It would also bring the British monarchy closer in line with its European counterparts, where several royal houses have already slimmed down their family ranks. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe famously removed princely titles from some of her grandchildren in 2022. William, according to Skyes's sources, has long admired that approach. The Danish royal family’s practical, streamlined model, exemplified by King Frederik and Queen Mary, is said to have influenced his thinking about what the British monarchy should look like in the decades ahead.
Meanwhile, royal watchers note that Meghan and Harry’s HRH styles were informally revoked after their 2020 exit agreement, though they continue to appear on official documentation. “Meghan continues to use her HRH despite being ordered not to do so by the late Queen Elizabeth II,” Sykes noted, suggesting that William may wish to formalize what his grandmother had already intended.
