Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Almost Stripped Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of Duke and Duchess Titles Amid Royal Exit

Following their “Sandringham Summit,” Buckingham Palace released new details about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s new transition, details which were agreed upon by the couple and Queen Elizabeth. While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex agreed to not use “HRH” (His or Her Royal Highness) anymore, a new report from the Evening Standard detailed that Elizabeth almost stripped the pair of their duke and duchess titles entirely.

Markle and Harry are still entitled to use “Duke and Duchess of Sussex” going forward, just without HRH attached since they will no longer be official working members of the royal family. According to the Evening Standard, Queen Elizabeth reportedly almost took this change one step further.

“The Sussex title is one of the ancient royal dukedoms given to him ahead of his wedding to Meghan, along with other titles,” a source claimed to the publication. “Removing it was seriously considered and discussed at the highest level.”

The Evening Standard went on to report that neither Elizabeth nor Harry wanted to appear “petty” during this negotiation and that they ultimately decided that not using “HRH” was satisfactory. Of course, this report should be taken with a grain of salt as Buckingham Palace has not commented on this news as of yet.

This report comes after Markle and Harry released a statement in which they gave an update on their new transition, as E! News noted.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives,” the statement read. “As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments. They will no longer receive public funds for Royal duties. With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations.”

“While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty,” the statement continued. “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex originally announced their intention to step back as senior royals on Jan. 8. These new changes for the couple are set to go into effect in the spring.

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