Meghan Markle's secret use of ‘HRH’ sparks Royal backlash— Could she and Prince Harry lose their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles?

Ever since former American actress, Meghan Markle stepped into the British royal family, she seems to have become controversies favourite child. Meghan met Prince Harry first in 2016, and the duo got married in 2018-- it was then that they were officially given the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II. But, within two years Meghan and Prince Harry had such a fall-out with the UK royal family that they decided to formally step down from their royal duties as senior members. However, even after stepping away from their royal roles, Harry and Meghan kept their Sussex titles — which are still reflected on the royal family’s website and in their personal ventures.
Now, more recently, Meghan stirred up yet another controversy when a picture of hers surfaced on social media wherein she used the 'Her Royal Highness' (HRH) title and styling. But, why? Well because, the couple agreed not to use the “His/Her Royal Highness” styling in their professional or public lives, when they left their royal duties in 2020. But, in a recent resurfaced image, Meghan had sent a card which read, “With compliments of HRH the Duchess of Sussex,” along with her royal cipher. According to PEOPLE, the note was over a year old and part of a personal gift — not a business or public-facing message. While they technically still hold the HRH style, Harry and Meghan don’t use it for official purposes.
This has reignited questions about whether she and Prince Harry might eventually lose their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. There have also been ongoing rumours that Prince William might plan to strip Harry and Meghan of their titles when he becomes king. But here’s the catch — a monarch can’t just take away a dukedom with the wave of a hand. When Queen Elizabeth granted them the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles on their wedding day in 2018, it became part of official British nobility, which means removing it would require a formal act of Parliament.
That said, the rules could change. In recent years, lawmakers have debated giving the monarch or a parliamentary committee more power over royal titles. A proposed "Removal of Titles Bill" was introduced to allow such actions, but so far, it hasn’t become law.
Interestingly, the “HRH” honorific is the easiest title for the monarch to revoke. According to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple — a legal institution in the UK — the King could remove it without needing Parliament's approval, and the decision wouldn’t be open to legal challenge.
“In any case, removal of the honorific on the basis of giving up the role of a working member of the royal family and living abroad could hardly be faulted,” noted Professor Graham Zellick, a public law expert, as reported by PEOPLE.
As for Harry’s title of "prince," that’s a different story. Because he holds it by birthright and through formal letters patent, it’s not something that can be easily taken away.
So while the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex — and even “HRH” — remain intact for now, the conversation around royal roles, identity, and protocol continues to evolve and gain people's attention.