William Reportedly Has a Clever Plan to Modernize the Monarchy — Without Feuding With Harry and Meghan
Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020, their relationship with Prince William steadily deteriorated. Their subsequent string of scathing interviews criticizing the Firm has only deepened the rift. As William prepares for the throne, insiders have speculated that he may strip the Sussexes of their royal titles under the guise of modernizing the monarchy. However, royal expert Afua Acheampong-Hagan suggested William will refrain from doing so, prioritizing a lasting legacy over appearing petty.
The concept of a 'slimmed-down' monarchy was reportedly introduced by King Charles to reduce the burden on taxpayers while ensuring the institution operates seamlessly. Although Harry and Markle are no longer working royals, they hold on to their titles and use them. Commenting on William's clever approach to modernizing the monarchy without provoking conflict with the Sussexes, Acheampong-Hagan noted that stripping them of their titles would "just make him look petty." She told The Mirror, "I don't think he's [William] got time to do that, and, also, he doesn't want that to be the focus of his reign when it comes. 'Oh, the first thing I'm going to do is take away my brother's titles,' for what?"
Given that William's many charitable projects to enact major change were 'definitely' his priority, Acheampong-Hagan argued that moving to strip Harry, Markle, and their children of their titles was something that wasn't in line with his personality and focus. She continued, "There's so many other things that the royal family needs to do to modernize, taking away people's titles for living their own lives, it will seem silly and petty, so I just don't think that he [William] will...I think he knows if he did that, that's how he would come across."
Similarly, according to royal columnist Rob Shutter, William reportedly has no intention of removing Harry and Markle's titles. However, it's not out of sentiment but rather because he allegedly believes their brand is already 'worthless' and that acting against them would look 'petty.' On his Substack, he claimed an insider told him, "By the time William takes the throne, the Sussex brand will be so diminished it won't even matter. Why take away something that's already worthless?" Shuter added, "William sees no strategic threat from Harry and Meghan anymore. The power they once had? The global fascination? The shiny-new-royal-rebels energy? Gone."
Indeed, the removal of royal titles is far more than an administrative act; it has often carried deep personal consequences in history. An example of this was in Denmark in 2022, when Queen Margrethe II stripped four of her grandchildren of their titles, prompting significant emotional distress within the family. For the Prince of Wales, the Danish episode would likely serve as a caution about the toll such actions can take on family relationships. Hence, for him, modernizing the monarchy appears to mean rising above pettiness and concentrating on a legacy rooted in service.