Buckingham Palace and the Queen have announced that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle will no longer have use of their “Royal Highness” titles. The decision comes a little more than a week after the couple announced they would be stepping back from their senior roles.
Since the couple announced at the beginning of the month on January 8th, that they would be stepping aside from their duties as senior members of the royal family, Buckingham Palace has been trying to figure out how to fix their public relations catastrophe. Prince Harry and Markle have not been married very long but since their wedding, his wife has received heavy criticism from the media regarding her attitude on becoming a royal. The actress never wanted to be a silent figurehead and has left a bad taste in the public’s mouth.
The Queen of England released a statement on January 18th regarding the future of her grandson and his wife. According to Fox News, the two have been stripped of their “Royal Highness” titles. The statement that was released by Buckingham Palace also said that since Prince Harry and Markle are no longer working members of the royal family and thus must pay back the Sovereign Grant funds that were used to recently renovate their official residence at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. The renovations cost the British taxpayers £2.4 million which is around $3 million.
As part of the “Megxit” agreement, the couple is now required to step back from their royal duties which included military appointments and will no longer represent the Queen. The bottom line, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will no longer receive any funds for royal duties with the agreement going into effect this coming spring. Queen Elizabeth II had her own parting words for the couple in which she said she was pleased that they had found a “constructive and supportive” way forward. The Queen also stated that Prince Harry, Markle, and their son, Archie, would always be beloved members of the royal family and understood that they had immense challenges over the last two years. The monarch thanked them for their service to the country and the Commonwealth.
The agreement also stated that the prince will have to give up his position as Commonwealth youth ambassador as well as his three military patronages which are his Captain General with the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington, and Commodore-in-chief- of Small Ships and Diving with the Royal Naval Command. Prince Harry is not the only royal in recent times to stop using His Royal Highness as his mother, Princess Diana stopped using her title once she divorced Prince Charles.
Next: Prince William Doesn’t Want Any More Kids, Says Duchess Kate
Source: Fox
