Prince William reportedly wants to strip brother Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, of their “Royal Highness” titles. However, a source exclusively tells In Touch that they “wouldn’t bet on it happening anytime soon. Not that he hasn’t thought about it, but it would cause an uproar and that’s the last thing the monarchy needs right now.”
“Of course, King Charles has thought about it too, but he has too much to worry about. He has a lot on his plate with his recovery and this just isn’t on his agenda,” the insider exclusively tells In Touch. “If it was just Meghan’s title be taken away, it probably wouldn’t be as bad, but the fallout and scrutiny of a father stripping his son of his title would be too intense. There’s no way it will happen under his watch. It’s just not worth it. If it were to happen at all, it would occur during William’s reign as King.”
The chatter about the “Royal Highness” titles began on April 15 after a source told The Daily Beast about Prince William’s alleged plans. Not to mention, Meghan, 43, raised eyebrows when she signed a gift to Jamie Kern Lima that read, “With the Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex.”
Meghan and Harry’s royal titles have been a topic of conversation after they officially stepped down from their senior royal duties in 2020. The pair relocated from the U.K. to the United States with their son, Archie, 6. They moved into their Montecito, California, home while Meghan was pregnant with daughter Lilibet, now 3.
In February, royal expert John Quinn exclusively told In Touch what led to Meghan and Harry’s clash with the royals, especially the feud between the With Love, Meghan star and Prince William, 42.
“I was astonished to hear from a couple of members of staff that one of the things the royals found difficult about Meghan was that she was a bit too relaxed,” John, who wrote Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, revealed to In Touch. “She was constantly hugging and embracing various royals and even senior members of staff.”
Prince Harry, 40, first revealed the 2016 hugging debacle in his 2023 memoir, Spare.
“I introduced Meg, who leaned in and gave him a hug, which completely freaked him out. He recoiled,” Harry wrote of the 2016 interaction. “Willy didn’t hug many strangers. Whereas Meghan hugged most strangers.”
Harry later wrote, “The moment was a classic collision of cultures … which felt to me both funny and charming. Later, however, looking back, I wondered if it was more than that … Whatever, Willy got over it.”
In March, another insider exclusively gave In Touch an update on Meghan’s alleged feud with William’s wife, Princess Kate Middleton, who announced she was in remission from cancer two months prior.
“[Kate is] so full of gratitude these days, and in her view, no one should waste time holding grudges,” the third source explained. “She is more than willing to make peace with Meghan — and Meghan is very much on the same page.”
The insider also noted that Kate, 43, had been “quietly trying to chip away at the tension [between Willian and Harry], hoping to bring them back together, but so far, nothing has worked.”
