Meghan Markle would have a new royal title – even if she was no longer Duchess if Sussex

Harry and Meghan may no longer be working royals but they will still always have their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex even if they lose their royal status, according to an expert.

The couple, who stepped back from royal life in 2020, have continued to use their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles as they continue their charity work and building the Sussex brand. However there has been call for them to be ‘stripped’ of their royal status, particularly as they use it to build a brand that they can work from for deals with Netflix and Penguin House.

Yet even if they were to lose the royal titles officially, an expert has revealed she doesn’t think they would lose them entirely.

Speaking to The Royal Beat, Ingrid Seward, Editor in Chief of Majesty Magazine said she thinks Harry and Meghan will never lose their titles. She explained: “I don’t think anything will happen to the titles because, if they lose their titles, Harry is still a prince of the blood and Meghan instead of being the Duchess of Sussex, [would] be Princess Henry. That really would [confuse the Americans]. I think [it’s] probably best just to leave it because it looks unkind, it looks unnecessary.”

She added: “The Queen gave them the titles, let them keep them – they’re going to be ‘H and M’ anyway. I think the best thing is to leave them, ignore them, and let them get on with it – which is really what the Palace and the Royal Family are doing.”

Prince Harry’s full name is Prince Henry Charles Albert David and the royal tradition is that by marrying a prince, a princess can take a princess title but only with her husband’s name. That would mean for Meghan she would become Princess Henry, but she’s more widely known as the Duchess of Sussex, the Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel. The same is true for Kate Middleton, who’s official title is Princess William as well as the Duchess of Cambridge, the Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus.

There has been strong debate that if Harry was ever to fully take up US citizenship, he could lose his royal sovereign title. In order for Harry to secure a US passport, he would have to take the Oath of Allegiance, which requires him to “renounce all allegiance to any foreign prince, state or sovereign.”

The full oath says: “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have here to fore been a subject or citizen.”