Meghan Markle has come under fire after appearing to use her HRH title – despite agreeing not to after she and Prince Harry stepped down from royal life.
Meghan was interviewed by her friend, Jamie Kern Lima, for a podcast shown on YouTube on Monday. During the interview, an image was shown of a gift basket featuring ice cream and homemade strawberry sauce that Meghan had sent to Ms Lima, along with an accompanying note printed on monogrammed paper that said: “With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex.”
But royal fans were quick to note that her sign-off was in complete contradiction to the agreement made by Harry and Meghan when they stepped back from their public duties. A statement released by Buckingham Palace at the time confirmed: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal family.”
On their own former Sussex Royal website, Meghan and Harry stated: “As agreed and set out in January, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will retain their ‘HRH’ prefix, thereby formally remaining known as His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.” They added that they “will no longer actively use their HRH titles as they will no longer be working members of the family as of Spring 2020”.
Representatives for Meghan have denied that she uses the title Her Royal Highness after relinquishing royal duties. It was in January 2020 that Prince Harry and his wife made the shock announcement that they were stepping down as senior royals, less than two years after their wedding. Their decision led to an unprecedented emergency meeting between the late Queen, then-Prince Charles, Prince William and Harry, dubbed the ‘Sandringham Summit’ – a pivotal meeting held on January 13, 2020. But surprisingly Meghan did not take part.
Harry flew back to Britain from Canada alone with Meghan left some 5,000 miles away on Vancouver Island. At the time, it was reported that the Sussexes decided that it “wasn’t necessary for the duchess to join” via telephone.
But according to the Daily Mail’s Richard Kay, there was a specific reason as to why there was no open line to Meghan in Canada. He said: “According to palace officials, such an idea was rejected because no one knew for sure who else might have been listening in. ‘This was a highly confidential family discussion, not a conference call,’ says one insider.”
The meeting was held on 13 January, three days after Harry and Meghan’s announcement. There were just four people in attendance; tellingly Prince Philip decided not to take part.
He had quietly left the house before Harry’s arrival, driven away in his Land Rover Freelander by Countess Mountbatten, who helped care for him prior to his death. According to Kay, at the time: “Just how strategic this departure was, was not immediately clear. But the fact he left more than an hour and a half before the Duke of Sussex arrived was seen as significant. At 98, he no longer lays down the law as he once did and some courtiers wonder if this was his way of saying ‘this is not my fight’.
“It may also be that by making himself absent he could not be drawn into a situation where the mantra which governed his attitude to royal life – ‘you are either in the family or out’ – was being tested by Harry and Meghan’s wish to be part-time royals.”
Following the summit, the Queen released a highly-personal message: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family. My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.
“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family,” she said.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.”
She concluded: “These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
Harry and Meghan subsequently relocated to Montecito in California, where they set up home. Then in February 2021, less than a week after the couple announced that they were expecting their second child, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the couple would officially not be returning to their royal roles.
It meant they were no longer able to keep their patronages, and Harry lost his honorary military appointments, which were subsequently redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.
“While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family.”
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said: “As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role.”
They added: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
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