Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may risk losing their Sussex titles if they continue making controversial claims about the Royal Family, according to an insider.
The couple, who married in 2018 after two years of dating, stepped down as senior Royals in January 2020 and relocated to Southern California. Despite their departure, they have retained their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Since leaving their royal roles, Harry and Meghan have made several shocking allegations regarding their treatment by both the Royal Family and palace staff.
During a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan shared her struggles after marrying into the family, revealing that she had felt suicidal at the height of the crisis. She also claimed her requests for help were ignored.
Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare further detailed tensions between himself, his brother Prince William, and their wives. The book described a particularly heated argument before Harry and Meghan’s wedding, which allegedly left Meghan “sobbing on the floor.”
Now, a source claims the couple could face losing their Sussex titles if they continue to publicly criticize Harry’s relatives.
Although stripping them of their titles would require an Act of Parliament, the insider told The Daily Mail that the Royal Family is prepared to take action if they believe it necessary.
Meghan’s Views on Her Sussex Title
This news comes as Meghan recently expressed the importance of her title while filming her Netflix series.
Speaking with actress Mindy Kaling, Meghan, 43, remarked: “It’s so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m ‘Sussex’ now,” before elaborating on its significance.
“I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name. Our little family name,’” she said.
Meghan previously told People that her title became even more important after becoming a mother. “It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognized how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” she explained.
However, her insistence on using “Sussex” as a surname has sparked criticism.
One person pointed out: “Her name is NOT Meghan Sussex. Her name is technically Rachel Mountbatten-Windsor. Sussex is a county in England & part of a courtesy title – NOT her last name.”
Another added: “Meghan Markle married Henry Mountbatten-Windsor, not Harry Sussex! She’s a delusional woman.”
Born as Rachel Meghan Markle, the Duchess’s choice to adopt Sussex as a family name continues to stir debate among royal watchers.