Prince Harry, Meghan to Give Up ‘Royal Highness’ Titles

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will give up their royal titles as part of a deal to allow them to step back from their duties as senior members of the British royal family. The agreement with Queen Elizabeth, announced late Saturday by Buckingham Palace, ends weeks of speculation over the future of the duke and duchess of Sussex after the couple earlier this month said they wished to strike out on their own. The deal also marks a watershed moment for the royal family, which has long considered public service its foremost duty. “I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life,” the Queen said in a statement. She added that she hopes the agreement will allow the duke and duchess, and their son Archie, “to start building a happy and peaceful new life.” Prince Harry and Meghan said earlier this month that they wished to step back from their front-line roles as members of the royal family and carve out a new life for themselves away from the media spotlight. At a summit Monday at the monarch’s Sandringham Estate, the 93-year-old queen presided over a meeting to determine how the duke and duchess of Sussex can both leave the monarchy while retaining a royal status of sorts after their surprise decision plunged the House of Windsor into confusion. The agreement announced Saturday said the young couple will surrender their “royal highness” titles and any claim on the sovereign grant, the principal way the royal family is funded by U.K. taxpayers. They will also repay the public purse the £2.4 million ($3.1 million) cost of refurbishing Frogmore Cottage, their home in Windsor, England. The couple had earlier said they wished to split their time between the U.K. and Canada, and that they want to become financially independent. It isn’t clear what that means in practice. Minor members of the royal family have struggled in the past to monetize their links to the monarchy without getting embroiled in scandal or cheapening the royal brand. The duke and duchess of Sussex are hoping to break that mold. On their website they speak of their desire for a “new working model.” They have already applied to trademark “Sussex Royal,” covering a host of items including socks and greeting cards. Over the past three decades, the queen has undertaken a balancing act to ensure the monarchy both maintains pomp while avoiding alienating taxpayers who help bankroll the franchise. She has trimmed excess expense and excess royals, including her younger sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, who since the early 1990s haven’t received annual taxpayer grants. They remain, however, still largely under the royal wing and receive funding from the queen’s private income. Source: The Wall Street Journal