Harry & Meghan's HRH Title Reportedly At Risk Once Prince William Takes The Throne

Prince William is reportedly prepared to take a hard stance on stripping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their HRH titles once he becomes king.

This move would mark a major shift from King Charles, who has supposedly avoided confrontation on the issue. This bold position comes as Jason Knauf, a former royal aide, recently revealed how deep the rift between William and Harry runs.

Tension between Prince William and Prince Harry has simmered for years, beginning in 2016 and worsening after Harry and Meghan exited royal life in 2020.

William reportedly made the decision in response to Meghan continuing to use the HRH title, despite her and Harry's previous agreement to stop after leaving royal life. The situation drew fresh attention when Meghan shared a letter addressed to "Your Royal Highness." 

On top of that, she reportedly sent entrepreneur Jamie Kern Lima a gift basket of homemade strawberry sauce, signed, "With the Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex."

That gesture did not go unnoticed. A friend of William shared that King Charles appears unwilling to act, but William has no intention of letting it slide. "The titles will simply be removed when he is king. A way will be found," the friend claimed. 

The Daily Beast also reported that a former courtier noted that while Charles may tolerate the couple's actions, William will not. 

The source added that William believes Harry and Meghan "have betrayed everything the family stands for, and the idea that they are using their royal status as a calling card will enrage him."

Meghan's use of the HRH title has seemingly stirred fresh controversy inside royal circles, reigniting questions over what was agreed upon when she and Prince Harry stepped away from royal duties.

While Meghan's team insists she is still entitled to use the title in non-commercial settings, critics are pushing back hard. A source close to the Duchess argued that while she and Harry do not use the HRH styles for business, "this was a personal gift, and their titles remain."

But not everyone agrees. One former royal courtier dismissed that claim outright, calling it "complete rubbish" and pointing to the original 2020 agreement forged at the Sandringham Summit.

That agreement, still viewable on the royal family's official website, states clearly, "The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."

Royal expert and former government minister Norman Baker said the issue should have been settled firmly from the beginning. "It was a mistake to not simply take it away at the time," he explained, adding that the lack of clarity is now returning to haunt the monarchy.

In addition to Meghan's alleged ongoing use of the HRH title, other issues may be frustrating William, including Harry's recent trip to Ukraine. The Duke of Sussex's surprise visit to meet wounded soldiers in Lviv has left William frustrated, especially since he had expressed a desire to make the trip himself.

The Blast noted that sources close to the royal family disclosed that William was eager to show his support for Ukraine. Still, palace officials reportedly advised against it, citing security concerns.

Reports later revealed that the future king was "fuming" behind closed doors, unhappy with the decision and feeling upstaged by Harry, who managed to safely make the visit despite the risks.

The situation has added another layer of strain to the already complicated relationship between the two brothers.

The ongoing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry continues to cause concern among those close to the royal family, with Jason Knauf, a former communications secretary for both brothers, discussing the strained relationship in an interview. 

The Blast reported that in his conversation with "60 Minutes Australia," Knauf called the situation "hard and sad," admitting that it was "very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye."

Knauf also emphasized the importance of respecting Prince William’s decision to keep his thoughts on the matter private, adding, "I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same.”

Their tension has deep roots, with the brothers' relationship beginning to fray in 2016 when Harry started dating Meghan. Harry became increasingly vocal about his family's strained dynamics as the years passed, particularly in his 2023 memoir "Spare."

In the book, he described a heated confrontation with William, claiming his older brother physically attacked him during a dispute over Meghan. In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Sussexes made shocking revelations about their relationship with the royal family.

Meghan shared that family members had questioned the skin color of their son, Archie, and she spoke candidly about her own mental health struggles.

Will Prince William really follow through on stripping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their titles?