Why has Prince Harry's HRH title only been removed now - how long did Meghan's take to be removed?

Think back to 2020 when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step back from their roles as senior working royals. On January 18, 2020, Buckingham Palace said: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.”

The Daily Express revealed that “for more than three years, the website referred to Harry as HRH. The Duke was twice referred to as such on his profile page, but since the Express reported the error on Friday night Palace aides were quick to correct the error. Now, nowhere on the page is Harry called HRH.”

When was Meghan Markle’s HRH title removed?

Meghan Markle’s HRH title was removed from her royal biography three years ago. However, the Daily Mail reported that “it remained on some sections of the royal website, including on a quote from a speech made in 2019. The page’s bio, which details senior members of the royal family’s background and duties, now refers to Meghan as ‘she’ or the ‘Duchess’, instead of ‘Her Royal Highness.’

Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle no longer have their HRH titles, it was revealed in March of this year that their children, Archie and Lilibet will be called prince and princess. Sky News reported on 9 March 2023 that “Harry and Meghan are keen not to deny their children their birthright, but wish to allow them the chance to decide for themselves when they are older whether to drop or keep using the royal titles.”

King Charles’s sister, Princess Anne made the decision not to give her children Peter and Zara royal titles, despite being offered them by Queen Elizabeth II. In the documentary Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, she discussed her reasons behind this. “As a member of the Royal family living with that sort of pressure is hard,” she revealed. “And the expectations that come with it is hard and that might have been at the bottom of the list, that it may be less difficult for you.”