Royal Titles in Limbo: Future of Duke and Duchess of Sussex Hangs in the Balance

Princess Diana's biographer Andrew Morton weighs in on the potential loss of royal titles for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, offering insights on the complexities and implications of such a move.

Princess Diana's biographer, Andrew Morton, has speculated on the future of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal titles, raising questions about whether they could be stripped following their decision to step back from senior royal duties.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have faced calls from some royal experts to lose their titles due to their perceived actions and statements seen as critical of the royal family. However, others believe that such a move would be counterproductive and escalate tensions within the family.

Historically, royal titles have been bestowed upon members of the British royal family by the reigning monarch. The decision to strip a title is a complex one, typically requiring the approval of Parliament. In the case of Prince Harry, he was born a prince of the blood, a title that cannot be removed.

However, the Duchess of Sussex, who was granted the title of Duchess upon her marriage to Prince Harry, could potentially lose her title if Parliament deems it necessary. In such a scenario, Meghan would revert to being known as Princess Henry, a title that would still carry significant weight in the United States.

Royal author Tom Quinn has claimed that King Charles and Prince William have discussed stripping Harry and Meghan of their titles, but fear that doing so could worsen the situation. Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," believes that the titles will remain intact, citing the absence of any tangible reason for the king and Prince William to pursue such a drastic step.

"There is no earthly reason why the king and Prince William would now consider stripping Harry and Meghan of their titles entirely," Andersen said. "The Sussexes simply are not on their radar."

Helena Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, believes that the king and Prince of Wales "feel indifferent" towards the couple and are more concerned with maintaining a positive image and focusing on their own families.

"They don’t want to enter into any unnecessary drama and are aware that removing Harry and Meghan’s Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles – titles given to them by the late Queen Elizabeth II… will look petty," Chard said.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams emphasizes that the decision to remove the titles would ultimately lie with Parliament, not the king. He believes that such a move would be highly unlikely, as it would potentially ignite further controversy.

"There is no chance of this," Fitzwilliams said. "This would allow Harry and Meghan to cast themselves as wronged victims… It would make ending the royal rift, which is desirable however long it takes, impossible."

Ian Pelham Turner, another royal expert, agrees that stripping Prince Harry of his title would be an unwise move. He believes that such an action would be seen as petty and would only serve to further damage the reputation of the royal family.

"At a time when the King and his daughter-in-law Kate are battling cancer, I would have thought creating dangerous precedents like this which heap petrol on the fire would be seen to be petty, vindictive and petulant," Turner said.