A fresh wave of controversy has reignited debate over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s continued use of their royal titles, after resurfaced statements from the couple were interpreted as a thinly veiled “swipe” at the late Queen Elizabeth II, RadarOnline.com can report.
The issue resurfaced following King Charles’s recent decision to strip his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, of the “Prince” title in an unprecedented move. This step prompted renewed public scrutiny of Harry and Meghan’s status within the monarchy.
According to royal author Tom Bower, senior palace officials and family members have long questioned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s determination to “monetize the monarchy,” even after their formal exit from royal duties. The couple, he said, were “resistant” to dropping their HRH titles despite the terms of the Sandringham Agreement, signed in early 2020.
Bower claimed that the Sussexes’ lengthy statement about “stepping down” was written out of frustration and “spite” after Buckingham Palace ordered them to shut down their Sussex Royal brand following Prince Harry’s $1 million speaking engagement at a JP Morgan event in Miami.
In what critics called an extraordinary show of defiance, the statement included a direct challenge to the monarchy’s authority, asserting that the late Queen had “no jurisdiction overseas over the word ‘Royal'” and that “if they chose to use the word, the monarch — and the government were powerless.”
“After all, they emphasised, Harry was sixth in line to the throne and an HRH by birth,” Bower summarized, describing the tone as “spiteful” and “unnecessary”. The message, which ran over 1,100 words, reportedly reflected “simmering resentment” toward other senior royals, including Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie’s Lives and Careers ‘Hanging in the Balance’ Over Scandals Swamping Their Title-Stripped Parents Sarah and Andrew
Under-pressure Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are facing the fallout from their parents’ disgrace, with royal insiders telling RadarOnline.com the sisters’ personal and professional futures are “hanging in the balance” amid the deepening scandals surrounding Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly the Duke and Duchess of York.
The sisters, who still retain their royal titles, quietly left the UK last week – Beatrice, 37, traveling to Saudi Arabia for a global tech summit dubbed “Davos in the Desert,” and Eugenie, 35, heading to Paris for a private trip – as their parents were told they are being forced out of their Royal Lodge home amid public humiliation over their financial troubles and ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Parents’ Scandals Cast Shadow on Daughters
Insiders say the timing of the princesses’ “double escape” was no coincidence.
A royal source said: “Beatrice and Eugenie are in an impossible position. The shadow of their parents’ scandals keeps following them, and it’s getting harder to protect their own reputations. Each new story about Sarah or Andrew makes it tougher to be taken seriously in professional and philanthropic circles.”
Another insider added: “They’ve both put in the work, but the truth is their positions and opportunities have always been connected to their family name. Now that name is becoming a liability. There’s genuine fear that the fallout from their parents could unravel everything they’ve achieved.”
Careers and Charity Work Under Scrutiny
Beatrice runs a consultancy firm, BY-EQ, and advises on artificial intelligence for the software company Afiniti, where she was previously vice-president of strategic partnerships.
Eugenie, a director at the global art gallery Hauser & Wirth, also co-founded the Anti-Slavery Collective, an organization focused on fighting modern slavery and sex trafficking. The charity raised nearly $2million last year but has been criticized for distributing only a fraction of that sum in grants.
While both women maintain homes outside the royal estate, Beatrice in a $5million Cotswolds property with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Eugenie in a villa in Portugal with her husband Jack Brooksbank, they continue to occupy grace-and-favor residences within royal grounds.
Beatrice still holds an apartment in St James’ Palace, while Eugenie keeps Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace, reportedly on heavily discounted rent.
Prince William Is ‘Done’: Furious Future King ‘Planning to Strip’ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Titles to Prevent More Embarrassment
Publicity-hungry Prince Harry and Meghan Markle need to watch their backs, as his estranged brother, Prince William, is already looking to strip the troublesome twosome of their royal titles once he becomes king, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The palace showed no mercy in stripping the former Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, of their royal status in the wake of the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The author of a biography of the disgraceful couple warns that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be the next to see their regal titles taken away to avoid any scandalous stains during William’s reign.
‘Warning Shot’ to Harry
“Getting rid of Andrew has been a very useful exercise in showing what’s possible regarding titles,” Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, dished. “And it’s a warning shot across Harry’s bow.”
Lownie noted that, as with his father, King Charles III, William will also look for ways to streamline the royal family when he ascends to the throne.
“William will further slim down the monarchy,” Lownie explained, saying taking away the titles of non-working royals such as Harry, 41, and Markle, 44, will be an easy way to avoid any future embarrassments or scandals the duo might bring under the reign of King William V.
The title trim-down could even include Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35. However, it may be less likely in their case, as the ladies have staunchly supported the royal family, unlike Harry and Markle’s sensational bad-mouthing of “the institution” ever since they quit the monarchy and moved to California in 2020.
No Reconciliation With William
While Harry was able to finally secure a meeting with his cancer-stricken father in September after months of talks between their respective teams, a reconciliation with his brother is out of the question at this point.
“You know, the King clearly wants to get back in touch with his son (Harry) before he dies, but William and Harry, that’s not going to happen,” Lownie spilled.
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