EXCLUSIVE: If Harry were to lose his Prince title that would mean Archie and Lilibet could also lose theirs, but they would be able to use the Dumbarton titles while their parents will be known simply as the Sussexes.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s titles are up for discussion at Balmoral next week when the Royal Family meet for their annual summer holiday, Express.co.uk has learned.
According to our extremely well-placed source, one point of discussion at what has been dubbed a “royal family summit” will be the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and how they will fit in with the Royal Family over the next decade.
“The Royal Family are meeting at Balmoral to discuss a number of different things, but one of them will be the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” said the source.
“What people don’t realise is that the Balmoral gathering isn’t just a summer holiday. The family also participates in pre-arranged meetings where they discuss the family’s current position and how they can best prepare for the future.
“Last year was very much about honouring the Queen as it was the King’s first time hosting the gathering since her death, but this will be about how the family can best move forward without the Sussexes.
“Not only will Harry and Meghan’s tours and upcoming trip to Canada be on the agenda, but also their titles and peerages will be up for discussion.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are set to undertake a quasi-royal tour to Colombia tomorrow, August 15, were given their titles by the late Queen Elizabeth II on the day they married on May 19, 2018.
Prince Harry’s official titles are The Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel. He was also made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) by Queen Elizabeth II in June, 2015.
Meghan Markle’s official titles are The Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel.
The couple have already been asked to no longer use their HRH style which appears to have triggered their revolt against the Royal Family. The source adds that although it will be easy for King Charles to strip the Sussexes of their ‘gifted’ titles, Prince, for example, it will be a different story when it comes to their peerages.
“There could be a challenge made if any peerages are removed, so this is something that needs to be navigated extremely carefully,” said the source.
“The title of Prince and HRH are both gifts from the sovereign and can be stripped quite easily, but Harry’s Dukedom, Earldom and Barony will have to be removed by an Act of Parliament which could throw up a lot of unnecessary problems and unwanted media attention.”
The source adds that if Harry were to lose his Prince title that would mean Archie and Lilibet could also lose theirs, but the children would be able to use the Dumbarton titles while their parents will be known simply as the Sussexes.
“It’s a difficult one to navigate because the King is very conscious about his grandchildren,” said the source.
“There have been ongoing discussions surrounding this matter, but no decisions have yet been made. This is something that will hopefully be concluded during talks between the King and other senior royals this summer.”
Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.