Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Titles Could Be in Danger Because of King Charles’ \201cRuthless Side\201d

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published 23 October 2022

It’s no coincidence that, six weeks into his reign, King Charles still hasn’t given Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children Archie and Lilibet titles—and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s titles could be “in danger,” as the new king has a “ruthless side,” according to royal expert Katie Nicholl.

If Harry and Meghan continue their attacks on the royal family or are seen to be tarnishing the monarchy in any way, their titles could be in jeopardy, says the longtime royal expert, per The Mirror. (Harry and Meghan have given several interviews, certainly not the least of which was their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they have criticized not just members of the royal family but the institution itself.) “Now [that] Harry’s father Charles is king, Harry and Meghan’s children Archie and Lilibet are entitled to be known as prince and princess, as they are the grandchildren of the monarch,” The Mirror reports. But, Nicholl says, if Harry and Meghan continue to speak out, Charles could unleash what she calls his “ruthless side,” keeping titles away from not just Archie and Lili—who heretofore have never had titles—but also stripping Harry and Meghan of theirs, as well.

“We know from their past ventures—looking at Oprah—that they’re not afraid to be critical of the institution, that there have been some pretty low blows,” Nicholl tells GB News. “But I’m hearing from my sources—and I think this might be at the root of it—that we could be prepared to see the king’s ruthless side in all of this. Charles is not going to stand back and let the family or the institution, the reputation of the Crown, which is everything to him, be tarnished or indeed trashed, certainly not by members of the royal family.”

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When asked to expound on what Charles’ ruthless side is, Nicholl adds “it’s no coincidence that we haven’t seen titles bestowed on Archie and Lilibet. I think that whole issue of titles is up for discussion. That trust, that respect has to be earned. I don’t think they’re going to get those titles if they’re seen to be tarnishing the institution. And I think, perhaps, there might be a question mark over the future of Harry and Meghan’s titles potentially if they are seen to be deliberately tarnishing the reputation of the monarchy.”

This comes as both Harry’s tell-all memoir and the couple’s Netflix docuseries are primed for release potentially by the end of the year. The Telegraph reports that friends of the Sussexes have said that the docuseries will air this year, despite other reports that it has been delayed. The docuseries will follow the sure-to-be controversial season five of The Crown, which will be released November 9 and cover the tumultuous 1990s in the royal family, including Charles and Camilla’s affair, Charles and Princess Diana’s divorce, and Diana’s untimely death in a Parisian car accident, among other controversial events.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.