After stepping down from the Royal Family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles despite losing their HRH status. However, some 97 percent of Express.co.uk readers now think the couple should renounce their titles, a new poll has found. During their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the couple shared some of the challenges that led to their decision to break away from the Firm, with Harry revealing that they were willing to give up their dukedom in the process.
During the fifth episode of the six-part series, Harry explained to viewers how he had looked to move his family to New Zealand and then South Africa, but that both of their plans had been revealed ahead of time.
At the start of 2020, Harry and Meghan intended to move to Canada with their seven-month-old son Archie. Harry shared how he was asked by his father, King Charles III, to put their plans in writing and sent repeated emails on January 1, 2, and 3.
He said: “In one of those I said that if it didn’t work out we would be willing to relinquish our Sussex titles if need be. That was the plan.
“We thought it would be good to give ourselves some breathing space, but we were also really passionate about continuing our work throughout the Commonwealth supporting the Queen.”
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In response, Express.co.uk ran a poll that ran from 11am on Friday, December 16, to 11am on Friday, December 23, asking readers: “Should Harry and Meghan revoke their titles?”
Overall, 10,548 votes were cast with the overwhelming majority of readers, 97 percent (10,174 people), answering “yes” in favour of Harry and Meghan giving up their titles.
A further three percent (335 people) said “no” they should not, while 39 people said they did not know either way.
In the dozens of comments left below the accompanying article, readers shared their thoughts on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s titles.
However, some readers said they did not think the titles held by Harry and Meghan had an impact, and so, as username ginandtonic reasoned, it “makes no difference what title they hold”.
Similarly, username oneknightinbangkok said: “It makes no difference whether they have titles or not.”
Harry and Meghan were given the Sussex dukedom by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their wedding day on May 19, 2018. They were also honoured with the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and Baron and Baroness Kilkeel.
Despite being able to grant titles, the monarch does not have the power to remove them without Parliamentary approval. An amendment to the law would therefore be needed for the Sussex dukedom revoked. But many have suggested that this is not something King Charles III is interested in doing.
