Meghan Markle shared a sweet family photo of Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after rumors swirled that Prince William wanted to strip her and Harry of their “Royal Highness” titles.
The black and white photo Meghan, 43, shared on Instagram on May 3 showed Harry, 40, with Lilibet, 4, on his shoulders as Archie, 6, held onto his father’s hand while walking in what appeared to be the family’s backyard.
The Duchess of Sussex’s photo came amid a tough couple of weeks where Harry’s feud with his family seemed as blatant as ever. On April 15, a source told the Daily Beast that William, 42, wanted to remove Harry and Meghan’s HRH titles once he became king. The issue was put in the spotlight after Jamie Kern Lima shared a gift from Meghan on her podcast where the mom of two had signed the card, “With the Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex.”
When Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying they would retain their HRH titles but not use them. The move was part of a broader “transition” agreement that allowed the couple to pursue private ventures while distancing themselves from official royal roles.
Meghan’s team argued that she wasn’t breaking any rules with the signature because it was used for personal purposes.
“Harry and Meghan retain their HRH titles; however, by agreement, they do not use them for commercial purposes. While they do not publicly use ‘HRH,’ this was a personal gift, and their titles remain,” an insider told the outlet.
However, a former courtier disagreed and said that the final decision between the parties “made it clear they had agreed not to use the HRH titles at all, ever, in any capacity.”
A separate source told the publication that William wouldn’t stand for the couple using the titles.
“Charles might be happy to put up with this, but William won’t,” the insider explained. “He loathes and despises Harry and Meghan with every bone in his body. He believes they have betrayed everything the family stands for and the idea that they are using their royal status as a calling card will enrage him.”
A source close to William also chimed in on the situation and added, “Charles has completely lost control. It’s apparent that Harry and Meghan have every intention of making his final years a misery, just as he feared they would. Meghan using her HRH exposes how weak and enfeebled he is. She knows he won’t do anything. There is no way King William will stand for this. The titles will simply be removed when he is king. A way will be found.”
On May 2, In Touch learned that Meghan and Harry had heard the rumors but said they weren’t surprised.
“Harry and Meghan have heard the grumblings and aren’t surprised,” the source shared. “They try to rise above all the negative comments but it’s hurtful, especially for Harry. But Meghan, still using HRH since stepping away from all royal duties, and moving to California, isn’t doing herself any favors. It’s alienated her even more from the royal family and the people of England.”
