This article has been updated since its original publication date to include recent facts
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s titles have been a hot topic of discussion ever since King Charles took the throne following the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, earlier this year. While Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, have yet to receive new titles like Prince William and Kate Middleton, whose titles and social media handles were almost instantly upgraded to Prince and Princess of Wales, things have been relatively quiet regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s ones, with the fate of their, and their children’s, titles being very up in the air!
Can King Charles Strip Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Of Their Titles Following Netflix Docuseries?
The subject of their titles – current and potential new ones – has continued to make headlines following the release of their controversial Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, and the anticipated release of Prince Harry's bombshell tell-all memoir, Spare, which is due to hit shelves on January 10th, 2023, with many people – Piers Morgan included, obviously – urging the King to strip them of *everything* as a result of their behavior. However, it isn’t actually that simple!
According to a royal expert who spoke to Page Six, "Stripping their title is not something the King would likely ever consider, mostly because it would be too petty and punitive." The expert went on to say, "It would only lead to the Sussexes claiming that it was a retaliatory action and proof they were never wanted in the royal family," in reference to the many allegations the Sussexes made in their docuseries about not being wanted.
King Charles Warned That Stripping The Sussexes Of Their Titles Could 'Spike' Interest In Them
Broadcaster and commentator Jonathan Sacerdoti also weighed in, saying that although he thinks it would be perfectly "reasonable" if King Charles decided to take away their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles based on what they have said about the royal family over the years, he does believe that it might "spike" interest in the couple, which is not something the King would want to happen!
"I think there will still be an interest in their story as members of the royal family if the King chooses to somehow punish them in terms of removing their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex," Sacerdoti told The Express. "I think there would still be a massive interest in them – in fact, there would be a peak of interest if they were punished somehow. But then, it may wane."
"I think that perhaps if the titles weren't there, perhaps if they were fully disowned, there would be less interest, but I can't say that for certain as they would still be the same people, they would still have the same story they claim they can tell with extra insider information," he added.
Meghan Markle Reportedly Has Had A 'Dramatic Change Of Heart' And Wants To Keep Her Royal Titles Now
We guess this will be music to the Sussexes' ears, as another royal expert claimed last month that Meghan Markle has had a "dramatic change of heart regarding titles," which goes against what she said in her bombshell Oprah interview back in March 2021, whereby she said that titles weren’t important to her.
Meghan Markle Wants To Keep Royal Title After Realizing How Beneficial It Can Be
Royal commentator Neil Sean told The Daily Express that the Duchess of Sussex, 41, had the alleged change of heart after speaking with Prince Harry's cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, as they helped her realize just how important and beneficial having those titles can be. And she reportedly wants to do whatever it takes to hang on to her Duchess of Sussex title to ensure that her and Prince Harry's children – three-year-old son Archie and one-year-old daughter Lilibet – are offered titles of their own.
Meghan Markle 'determined' to keep royal titles for Sussex family after chats with Princess Beatrice and Eugenie https://t.co/DSwGPZjXQo pic.twitter.com/IB88UTPsh0
— GoodtoKnow (@GoodtoKnow) November 7, 2022
"Harry and Meghan are very, very keen to cling onto those royal titles. After much deliberation, Meghan decided that the titles would be a good thing, not just for her but for both her children too," Sean said.
"Meghan has become very friendly with senior members of the monarchy, predominantly Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. After this, Meghan realized how useful a title can be, particularly when you want to move in the correct circles," he added, in reference to Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Fergie, the Duchess of York's daughters. "That is the reason why they want to clutch hold of titles. It's really down to the fact that after befriending Beatrice and Eugenie, she saw how useful those titles are to them. Their father, Prince Andrew, had to push very hard to make sure his children got those titles."
READ MORE: Megyn Kelly Slams Meghan Markle For Her Latest Podcast: 'We Get It. You Bagged The Gorilla!'
What Did Meghan Markle Say About Titles In The Past?
If you cast your minds back to the infamous Oprah Winfrey interview, Meghan said: "All the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment I don’t personally have. I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a Duchess – I’ve always still just been Meghan, right? I’ve been clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff, and the most important title I’ll ever have is mom. I know that."
However, she and Prince Harry have since made it very clear how important a royal title would be for their children, especially because of the security and protection that comes along with it. So we never really believed that Meghan would snub another royal title if it was given to her or her children!
Prince Harry And Meghan's Children's Titles
The future of Prince Harry and Meghan's children's titles is currently up in the air, as many sources are hinting that King Charles III is waiting for Prince Harry's bombshell memoir to be published in January, 2023 to make his decision about his grandchildren's titles, depending on how much he trashes the royal family.
"Charles has made various threats to Meghan and Harry and warned them that if they go ahead, they will find themselves ostracized in a way they cannot believe. And so they are worried," royal author Tom Bower told OK, in reference to their Netflix docu-series and Prince Harry's memoir, Spare. "I do not think their children will get titles if they go ahead and slander the royal family. But they have also got to consider their own titles, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, could be taken away by Charles if they misbehave," he added.
