Meghan Markle, often the subject of royal title discussions, is not a princess in the traditional sense.
Following her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018, Queen Elizabeth II conferred upon them the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
These dukedoms were traditionally granted by the monarch to newlywed couples, similar to Prince William and Kate Middleton who became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after their wedding.
Is Meghan Markle a princess
Meghan cannot claim the title of princess for two primary reasons.
- Firstly, she and Harry stepped back from their royal duties in 2020.
- Secondly, according to British royal protocol, the title of princess is reserved for those born into the role, either as daughters of a king or prince.
When Harry and Meghan chose to leave their positions within the British monarchy, Harry relinquished his right to the title ‘His Majesty,’ leaving Meghan with the sole title of Duchess of Sussex.
In contrast, upon Queen Elizabeth’s passing and King Charles’s ascension to the throne, Prince William became the Prince of Wales.
As the direct heir to the throne, his wife Kate also became a princess.
Being fifth in the line of succession, Harry will retain his duke title, as will Meghan her duchess title.
Confusion about Meghan’s royal status and titles arose following her trip to Nigeria with Prince Harry.
At a reception in the Officers’ Mess of the Defense Headquarters, an official acknowledged Meghan’s Nigerian heritage in a speech and referred to her as “Princess.”
“Princess Meghan is a Nigerian!” exclaimed Abike Dabiri Erewa, chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora, to applause from the audience and a smile from Meghan herself.
“Prince Harry, you married the best — our daughter, our friend, Princess Meghan,” she was told. “I hope you come back again, again and again.”
Harry and Meghan’s visit to Nigeria was at the invitation of the Chief of Defense Staff, the country’s highest-ranking military official, marking an official three-day stay that began on May 10.
Despite the fact that Meghan and Harry’s host refers to Meghan as if she were a princess, the truth is that she only has her title as the Duchess of Sussex.