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Prince William reportedly wants to strip Harry, Meghan of royal title. But can he?
Removing a royal title is not as simple as a king’s personal decision, first he would require an official law passed by Parliament.
Rumour has it that Prince Williams wants to strip off the ‘Royal Highness’ title from Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. The whispers started after a source close to the Prince of Wales told The Daily Beast that Williams intends to approach a “tougher” route than King Charles when he becomes Monarch.
The comments came after a recent BBC interview in which Harry expressed that he "would love reconciliation" with the members of the Royal family.
In response, one of Prince William’s close friends told The Daily Beast that the stranded couple’s actions have been “absolutely vile” and “If he (Harry) did [want to reconcile], a period of silence would have been the right thing to do. The HRHs will go.”
Can Harry, and Meghan be stripped of titles?
Experts say removing a royal title is not as simple as a king’s personal decision. According to British royal expert Hilary Fordwich’s statement to Fox News, the process would require an official law passed by Parliament. Prince William “alone cannot” take away the royal titles after becoming a Monarch, the report further said.
However, she added that William is committed to making a statement.
In 2022, lawmakers proposed a "Removal of Titles Bill," which would allow the monarch to take away royal titles either on their own or following a recommendation of a joint committee of Parliament. But the bill is still in the pipeline and has not been enacted yet.
Harry’s longstanding rift with the royal family
Prince Harry’s differences with the royal family began when he and Meghan decided to step back from their duties and roles as senior royals in early 2020. They announced plans to become financially independent and later moved to California citing media intervention.
That same year, the UK government decided Harry would no longer receive the same taxpayer-funded security. Prompting Harry to file a lawsuit, arguing that the decision was unfair and possibly influenced by royal insiders.
On Friday, last week, the Court of Appeal of England and Wales rejected his appeal.
Aftermath of the royal family rift
While Harry has kept a relatively low profile in recent years, Meghan has increased her presence in the media. She has launched a podcast, worked on a Netflix series, and recently returned to social media.
In 2023, Harry came to the UK to attend his father’s coronation ceremony alone and did not sit with other senior royals.
