Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: independent yes, but leave us the noble titles
In the January 13 meeting convened by Queen Elizabeth II in Sandringham, the future of the couple is decided: the hot topic on the table is whether or not to keep the title of Her Royal Highness, in addition to the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex
At stake are the image of the monarchy, tradition and protocol, even feelings. But above all: the titles. This is the theme at the center of the meeting convened by the Queen in Sandringham to discuss the future of the Dukes of Sussex: present Prince Charles and Prince William, as well as Harry of course, while Meghan Markle will connect by teleconference from Canada, where she returned later the announcement of the "divorce" from the English royal family.
The official Sussex communiqué makes one thing clear: the couple wishes to continue carrying out duties on behalf of the queen and will need the titles for that. In addition to being a prince, Harry is in fact Duke of Sussex but also Earl of Dumbarton in Scotland and Baron KilkeelIl in Northern Ireland, as well as "Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, and Her Majesty's Personal Aide-de-camp".
The stakes
Harry and Meghan could voluntarily renounce the title of "Her Highness" and keep their courtesy titles, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, donated by the Queen on their wedding day, May 19, 2018. However, they do not seem to want to do so because the couple's new "brand" - Sussex Royal - is built around the concept of belonging to the royal family. Harry and Meghan would like to be royals part-time: abandoning the obligations linked to the status of "senior royal", that is family members quite high in the order of succession to the throne (Harry is sixth, after his father Charles, his brother William and three sons of the latter: George, Charlotte and Louis), would make them fall well below the hierarchy, after the daughters of Prince Andrew, the princesses Beatrice and Eugenia. This would allow them to have fewer obligations towards the queen and to be able to lead their lives in freedom, including making agreements to be able to "make themselves economically independent".
Only the queen can decide whether or not to strip her favorite nephew and wife of titles. If she decides to pursue this path, however, experts warn, the break will be definitive and the monarch's intransigence could backfire on her with a boomerang effect: Harry and Meghan hope to continue to support the queen and if their will is not accepted. from the rest of the family - above all from Charles, angry with his son - the Sussexes would pass for martyrs and their escape would be seen as a forced exile.
What the Crown fears most, The Express points out, is the possibility that if the "summit" at Sandringham does not go as planned, Harry and Meghan could immediately issue a "no holds barred" interview that is potentially "very damaging" to the royal family, already proven by the Duchess of Sussex's earlier tearful confession to the ITV documentary - "I don't live, I exist" - and by Prince Andrew's unsettled interview about its implications for the Jeffrey Epstein case.
"I have an idea of what could be aired in a full, no holds barred interview, and I don't think the queen would like it," said the couple's friend Tom Bradby, an ITV anchorman. The royal biographer Angela Levin agrees with him, declaring to Sky News: "The Queen said she wants to resolve very quickly, in days not weeks, and this is because she does not want the meeting with Harry to end with bickering, he might not come back. "
The background: Lady Diana, Sarah Ferguson, Beatrice and Eugenia
The couple states that there is a "precedent" in the case of "I hold a title and earn an income": it is granted to Harry's cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenia, daughters of Andrew of York. Both have jobs - one is vice president of a company that develops artificial intelligence algorithms, Afiniti, the other directs the London art gallery Hauser & Wirth - they do not receive funding from the Crown and the their obligation to appear at public events alongside their sovereign grandmother is limited to a handful of annual engagements, including Trooping The Color.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent also set a precedent for Meghan and Harry: the queen's first cousin and his wife are not "working royals". They do not receive public grants and although the prince is sometimes required to take on public duties to represent the queen when needed, he self-finances and is involved in around 100 charities and organizations as well as his Prince Michael of Kent Foundation, which is committed to supporting of cultural, cultural, health heritage and postgraduate business education in Russia. His wife has published three essays, an autobiography and a trilogy of historical novels set in France.
Deprived of the title of Her Royal Highness were the daughters of Queen Elizabeth II: Lady Diana and Sarah Ferguson, but in their case the decision was consequential to the divorce from their respective princes, Charles and Andrew. Diana retained the title of Princess of Wales until her death and had no time to reset her professional life to "support herself" as a tragic car accident took her life just a year after her divorce in August 1997 It should be emphasized that the title remained his prerogative even post mortem since the queen granted Camilla Parker Bowles another one when she married Carlo in second marriage: Duchess of Cornwall.
Fergie was also allowed to keep the title of Duchess of York from the "patent letters", an official document used to regulate the use of post-divorce royal titles. He still uses it today but would lose it should he remarry. Fergie signed a good economic agreement after the divorce, which however made it necessary for her to "work" to support herself: she wrote children's books (including Budgie the little helicopter and Ballerina Rosie) and was for a long time testimonial of the American Weight Watchers but a series of disastrous business and financial woes do not make her a viable example for the Sussexes.
Finally, another Duchess who could not use the title of HRH after her "divorce" from the royal family was Wallis Simpson, who was bestowed the royal title of Duchess of Windsor after her marriage to Edward VIII, but after abdication. of the king lost the right to be called His Royal Highness.
Beyond Stocks: Earnings, Ownership and Security
Harry and Meghan can support themselves, it's clear to everyone. Aside from speculating on the figures they could potentially put in their pockets amid sponsorships and various deals - up to a million dollars a day just for Meghan Markle, they say - it is necessary to ask: what will they be allowed, and what not? A source close to the royal family tells the Daily Mail: "the queen has made it clear several times that members of the royal family must not benefit from their position". He does not want a "monetization of the monarchy". "They should make sure they don't tarnish the image of the Crown in any way," royal historian Simon Heffer confirms in the Sunday Telegraph.
The deal Harry and Meghan are likely to sign with the queen will also include a clear stance on their residence, Frogmore House, the subject of the now infamous € 2.5 million renovation. It was granted to them for use by the queen, but is still her property. Taxpayers - according to polls conducted in Great Britain - do not look favorably on the possibility that the couple can live in Canada as long as they want and keep the prestigious and expensive residence as "support" when in England. If the queen revokes their use of the great house, they should be housed elsewhere. Maybe in the old Nottingham Cottage where they had stayed in the early days of their married life.
Another theme on the table: travel and security. As royalty, Harry and Meghan are entitled to 24/7 taxpayer-funded protection at home and abroad, even on vacation. And they would not want to give up, but the bill is very high: around 1 million pounds a year.
Their travels are also expensive, but barring official visits - carried out at the request of the Foreign Ministry and paid for by the Queen - the couple intend to pay for each trip out of their own pockets, as they have been harshly criticized in the past for the reckless use of jets. private. Where possible, they say, travel will take place aboard "commercial air carriers, local trains and fuel-efficient vehicles".
