Royal expert Tom Quinn has claimed that King Charles III and Prince William considered stripping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their royal titles after the couple stepped down from senior royal duties in 2020 and relocated to the United States.
Earlier this year, Prince Harry declared the U.S. as his new country of residence. Now living in Montecito, California, the couple has faced intense public scrutiny since leaving the UK. Despite this, they have openly shared their experiences within the royal family, causing controversy and familial rifts.
During a recent tour of Nigeria, the Sussexes, still using their titles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were seen enjoying their royal status. This reportedly frustrated some members of Buckingham Palace. Quinn told The Mirror UK that King Charles and Prince William have had lengthy discussions about stripping Meghan and Harry of their royal titles, but they are concerned that this action might backfire and worsen the situation. He explained that the last thing they want is to provide the renegade royals more reasons to complain. William and his father believe that even without their royal titles, Meghan and Harry would continue traveling the world as if they were royals, and most people would still welcome them.
Quinn also claimed that Prince William and Princess Catherine are worried about the Sussexes being treated like royalty while taking on international opportunities. The senior royals, especially William and Kate, fear that Harry and Meghan will continue to organize trips across the world until they are seen as the public face of the royal family. Tom Quinn mentioned that this fear is exacerbated by William's inability to compete, given his wife's battle with cancer. William is reportedly furious and determined to find a way to prevent this from happening in the future. Quinn claimed that Charles is angrier than ever before, especially since the Nigerians treated Meghan and Harry as if it were an official tour, complete with dances, receptions, and visits to schools and charities.
Despite stepping back from their official roles, the Sussexes retain their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, although they no longer use the His/Her Royal Highness styling. Prince Harry relinquished his military titles upon their exit from royal duties. Earlier this year, the couple reaffirmed their royal connection by relaunching their website with the domain name sussex.edu, listing themselves as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with brief descriptions of their credentials and updates on their recent activities, including the trip to Nigeria.
In the wake of a royal race row sparked by Omid Scobie's book "Endgame," Conservative MP Bob Seely proposed a bill that could strip Harry and Meghan of their titles. He called on Parliament for urgent action, criticizing the "poisonously insidious" use of race to smear the royal family and suggesting the revival of World War I-era laws that could pave the way for making the couple plain Mr. and Mrs. Sussex.
