Why Harry and Meghan used their duke and duchess titles in their holiday card
Nearly five years after stepping back as senior royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle still use their royal titles.
The couple, now based in Montecito, California, signed their 2024 holiday card with warm wishes for the holiday season as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
“On behalf of the office of Prince Harry & Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions, and Archewell Foundation, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful New Year,” the card reads, which was sent to TODAY.com by the Archewell Foundation.
Harry and Meghan’s titles have been the subject of debate since they announced their decision to step back as senior members of the British royal family in 2020. The card comes amid continued attention on the couple’s relationships with the prince's family in the U.K.
Read on for what we know.
Are Harry and Meghan still a duke and duchess?
Yes, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and are referred to as such on the British royal family’s official website.
Harry was granted the title Duke of Sussex by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, upon his marriage to Meghan, who then became the Duchess of Sussex, in 2018. While they stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and agreed to no longer go by His/Her Royal Highness (HRH), they each kept their Sussex titles.
Today, the couple continues to use duke and duchess publicly and professionally, particularly for their work as part of the Archewell Foundation. They do not, however, officially represent the British monarchy or perform official royal duties on its behalf.
In a January 2023 interview with “60 Minutes,” Harry briefly addressed the question of why he and Meghan continued to use their Sussex titles in an interview with Anderson Cooper.
“Why not renounce your titles as duke and duchess?” Cooper asked.
“And what difference would that make?” Harry said in response.
What is Prince Harry’s official title?
Prince Harry's full title is Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, according to the official website of the British Royal Family. His official titles also include Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel.
What is Meghan Markle’s official title?
Meghan Markle's full title is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Her other official titles include Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel.
Has Prince Harry’s title changed?
Harry's titles have changed at various points in his life.
Christened as Henry Charles Albert David, Harry was addressed as His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales when he was younger. In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. The personal honor recognized his service to the monarchy and highlighted his decade-long military career, according to BBC.
On the day of his marriage to Meghan in 2018, Harry's title was changed to Duke of Sussex and remains as such.
Were Harry and Meghan’s titles taken away?
No, Harry and Meghan's titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not taken away by the British royal family. However, their titles have changed since their infamous decision to "step back" as senior members of the royal family.
Following their 2020 announcement, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying that Harry and Meghan would no longer use the HRH prefix since they were “no longer working members of the Royal Family.”
Since relocating to the U.S., Harry and Meghan continue to be referred to by the British royal family and the public as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The couple’s children, Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, also have their own titles. Following the death of the queen in September 2022, they became eligible to use the titles of “prince” and “princess.”
In March 2023, the royal family’s official website was updated with the following new titles: Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Is Harry an heir to the throne?
Despite his title change, Harry is still eligible to inherit the throne and is currently fifth in line, per the palace website.
His palace biography does note that he has stepped away from royal duties, however:
“As announced in January 2020, The Duke and Duchess have stepped back as senior members of The Royal Family. They are balancing their time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour their duty to The King, the Commonwealth, and their patronages,” it reads.
To the public, Harry might be known as a prince, but at home, he has nicknames just like the rest of us. In their 2022 Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan,“ the Sussexes playfully revealed that Meghan calls Harry “Haz” and “H,” while Harry calls Meghan “M.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
