Prince William can't strip Meghan Markle's royal title, but using it may come at a price: experts

Fox News

02-05-2025

Prince William is said to be strategizing about how he can strip his younger brother and sister-in-law of their royal titles.
Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, claimed to Fox News Digital she was the first to share this report before it was picked up by multiple outlets. Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace, which handles the office of the Prince of Wales, for comment. The claim hasn't been verified by the palace.
"I knew Prince William wanted to strip them of their titles weeks ago," Schofield claimed to Fox News Digital.
"Prince William does not run from confrontation in the way that his father does… Prince William believes that Harry and Meghan are exploiting their proximity to the royal family despite doing everything in their power to jeopardize the monarchy's future. There is anger surrounding Harry and Meghan, making the last few years of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth's lives a living hell."
"The reality is, [the Duke and Duchess of Sussex] are currently making the last years of King Charles' life a living hell," Schofield claimed. "Prince William, along with the public, is going to be less forgiving this time around… This desperation we sense is Meghan, [in particular], knowing that Prince William is on the horizon, and he will not put up with her."
Meghan, a former American actress, was given the title of Duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II on her 2018 wedding day to Harry. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California, citing unbearable intrusions from the British press and lack of support from the palace.
Since their move, which has been coined "Megxit" by the press, the couple have aired their grievances in interviews, documentaries as well as Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare."
People magazine reported that while they're no longer working royals, they still retain their "His/Her Royal Highness" titles, but they cannot use them in public or for commercial purposes. According to the outlet, Meghan's royal styling recently drew attention after a personalized note bearing her "HRH" title surfaced more than a year after she used it on a gift to a friend.
WATCH: MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY ACTED LIKE A COUPLE OF TEENAGERS, PALACE SOURCES ALLEGE IN EXPLOSIVE NEW BOOK
The outlet noted that while Meghan, 43, and Harry, 40, don't use their HRH titles for "public or commercial ventures," their formal titles stand. The outlet pointed out that the note in question was "part of a private, personal gift – not a business move."
Still, Schofield claimed that Meghan's use of her HRH title doesn't sit well with William.
"Meghan's use of the Sussex title, but even more the HRH title, is a violation of the Sandringham Agreement [before the couple's exit]," said Schofield. "Something Harry and Meghan were viciously bitter about to begin with."
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the removal of a royal title requires legislative action through an act of Parliament. This means that William alone cannot strip the couple of their titles once he becomes king. However, she claimed that the 42-year-old is adamant on sending a clear message to the couple.
"King Charles is tolerant and lenient, as they are both his sons," she explained. "He has, until very recently, always hoped for some sort of reconciliation. He grew up surrounded by a loyal family and siblings. [But] Prince William has felt personally betrayed by the one person who shared his childhood experiences [publicly]."
"Former courtiers have always said that William is bent on stripping Harry and Meghan of their HRH titles due to their blatant breach of both the agreement with his grandmother and royal protocol," Fordwich claimed. "He has been sickened by his brother leveraging his royal status for personal gain, mainly by revealing intimate childhood experiences they shared."
William could possibly get some backup to make that goal a reality. People magazine pointed out that in recent years there have been discussions about introducing legislation that would grant either the monarch or a parliamentary committee the power to remove royal titles.
In 2022, a "Removal of Titles Bill" was introduced, the outlet reported. It aims to give the monarch power to remove titles "on their own initiative or following a recommendation of a joint committee of Parliament." However, it has not been enacted into law.
In 2023, Bob Seely, who at the time was a conservative member of Parliament, had promised to introduce a bill that would strip Harry and Meghan of their royal titles.
"I'm not a republican and support the monarchy, but after the latest installment of the couple's feud with the rest of the royal family, I believe that Parliament and the Privy Council should consider a nuclear option," Seely wrote in The Mail on Sunday. "The Duke and Duchess can be Mr. and Mrs. like the rest of us."
"My aim is simple: if someone doesn't want to be royal, that is a decision we respect – but they should not keep the titles and privileges if they trash an institution that plays an important part in our nation's life."
Seely didn't immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment at the time. Parliament's website currently notes that Seely is "no longer a Member, but was most recently the Conservative MP [Member of Parliament] for Isle of Wight, and left the Commons on 30 May 2024."
Fordwich said that William would likely get plenty of support for wanting Harry and Meghan to lose their titles.
"Given public polling over the years, the public shares his sentiments," said Fordwich.
"He wishes to uphold traditional values, norms and the integrity of the monarch. He views Meghan Markle commercializing the HRH title as disrespectful to his beloved grandmother. They were granted by Queen Elizabeth II as hereditary titles. While Parliament hasn't passed any laws in this regard, they have already discussed creating new legislation allowing their titles to be revoked more easily, in step with public sentiment."
Master Graham Zellick, a professor of public law and tribunal judge, noted that the HRH style would be the easiest title for a monarch to remove.
"At present, the Sussexes (like Prince Andrew, Duke of York) have agreed not to use the appellation while they have abandoned royal duties, but it is clear that it could be withdrawn by the King, a decision that would not be amenable to judicial review," wrote Zellick.
"In any case, removal of the honorific on the basis of giving up the role of a working member of the royal family and living abroad could hardly be faulted."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in California with their two young children.