Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made headlines around the world when they announced they would be leaving the royal family for California and would no longer be “working royals.” The couple continues to use their royal titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but one royal historian thinks Harry and Markle should drop them.
Royal Historian Explains Why Markle Shouldn’t Have Used Her Title On Children’s Book
When the royal couple stepped down from their positions as senior royals, they dropped their HRH titles, but continued to use the Duke and Duchess of Sussex names. Markle even used it as her author name on her children’s book “The Bench.”
Many were not pleased with Markle’s choice to declare herself Duchess of Sussex on the cover of the book, and pointed out that fellow royals don’t use their titles for side projects. Royal historian Marlene Koenig said, “If you look at other members of the family or peers or heir to peerages; Beatrice and Eugenie do not use their titles in their jobs—on their work websites it’s Beatrice York, Eugenie York.”
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“Uncle Charles, Earl Spencer, he’s written several books, but doesn’t use his title on his books: he uses Charles Spencer,” Koenig continued. “The Earl of Harewood, whose father was the Queen’s first cousin, was a producer; he used Lascelles, the family name, as his title.
Koenig: ‘I Think They Should Step Away From Using Their Titles’
“So, I think they should step away from using their titles, they should just use Meghan Sussex, Harry Sussex; there is so much precedent for that, especially in the US,” the royal historian said.
“There’s nothing stopping you having your title as a royal if you’re abroad but you usually don’t use your titles, but from a professional aspect and the precedence of so many peers and other members of the Royal Family who don’t use their titles,” she concluded. “I’m not denigrating them at all, I just think it would lessen the tension if they didn’t use the titles, to say, ‘Hey, we’re just gonna use, in the credits, Meghan Sussex, Harry Sussex’, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Poll Finds Many Agree With Koenig
Many members of the public agree with Koenig; in a poll conducted by Express, 96% of the people who cast their votes said that the couple should have their royal titles revoked. It’s unknown whether or not Harry and Markle are considering a change to their titles, but it’s clear that many people think they should drop the Duke and Duchess from their names.