Meghan Markle Reportedly More Determined Than Ever to Keep Her Duchess of Sussex Title After Conversations with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

She has had a “dramatic change of heart regarding titles” as of late, a royal commentator says.

Meghan Markle
(Image credit: Getty)

Following conversations with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Meghan Markle is more determined to keep her Duchess of Sussex title than ever, according to The Daily Express.

Royal commentator Neil Sean cites a source as pointing out that Meghan had previously disregarded the importance of titles, but after seeing how useful Beatrice and Eugenie’s titles have been for them, she is now determined to cling onto hers.

During Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, she appeared to dismiss the importance of having a royal title, saying “all the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment I don’t personally have. I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a duchess—I’ve always still just been Meghan, right? I’ve been clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff, and the most important title I’ll ever have is mom. I know that.”

These days, Sean says, Meghan has had a “dramatic change of heart regarding titles,” adding “Harry and Meghan are very, very keen to cling onto those royal titles. After much deliberation, Meghan decided that the titles would be a good thing, not just for her, but for both her children, too. Meghan became very friendly with senior members of the monarchy, predominantly Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. After this, Meghan realized how useful a title can be, particularly when you want to move in the correct circles. That is the reason why they want to clutch hold of titles.”

Sean also pointed out that Harry and Meghan are often billed as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at events.

“It’s really down to the fact that, after befriending Beatrice and Eugenie, she saw how useful those titles are to them,” Sean says.

Meghan’s decision comes amidst chatter from multiple outlets that King Charles could not only remove Harry and Meghan of their titles but also stop their children, Archie and Lilibet, from receiving titles if the couple’s forthcoming Netflix docuseries hurts the monarchy in any way. Royal author Tom Bower tells OK “he [Charles] has made various threats to Meghan and Harry and warned them that if they go ahead, they will find themselves ostracized in a way they cannot believe. And so they are worried.”

Bower also adds, “I do not think their children will get titles if they go ahead and slander the royal family. But they have also got to consider their own titles, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, could be taken away by Charles if they misbehave.”

Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.