Harry and Meghan ditch royal titles as Andrew awaits being stripped of his
Prince Andrew may lose his royal title, as Harry and Meghan drop theirs for an upcoming special. Photo: Getty
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to appear in a TIME Magazine TV special, but they’ll be missing one notable detail.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have opted to ditch their royal titles and go by ‘Harry and Meghan’, as they continue their transformation from British royalty to Hollywood celebrities.
This will be the first time the publication’s renowned list of 100 most influential people will be televised.
Tune in to the #TIME100 on Tuesday, September 22 at 10|9c pic.twitter.com/K3oSZlyYiQ
— TIME (@TIME) September 14, 2020
Airing on September 22, the special will feature in-depth profiles and interviews with “leaders, creators and everyday heroes”.
The promotional video introduced the pair without their formal titles, a move encouraged by the Sussexes since they stepped down as senior royals.
At a February conference for his sustainable tourism initiative, Travalyst, Prince Harry requested people “just call him Harry”.
But it’s not just the Sussexes forgoing the formalities.
Prince Andrew may be facing the possibility of losing his own royal title, following his highly publicised affiliation with the late convicted pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew’s involvement with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell could see him stripped of his royal title.
Prince Andrew formally stepped back from royal duties in November, following a car crash interview about his alleged involvement in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.
With his father, Prince Philip’s 100th birthday looming next year, rumours have swelled that Prince Andrew’s official duties and responsibilities for the event would be scrapped.
Royal commentators have suggested the loss of the Prince’s title isn’t far off, as the family try to distance themselves from the scandal.
The royal family are distancing themselves from Prince Andrew. Photo: Getty
Birthday messages to the disgraced Duke in February sent by the the Royal Family’s social media accounts also excluded his HRH title.
“The survival of the monarchy requires that Buckingham Palace backs away,” Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace said.
“It is a poignant moment, and the loss of Prince Andrew’s HRH title is highly likely merely a matter of time now.”
And while Prince Philip is reportedly “extremely fond and very proud of his son”, he also “knows that Andrew’s name is poison currently”.
This comes after the Duke of York was notably absent from daughter Beatrice’s wedding photos.
Hip, hip Harry
Prince Harry celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday, marking his first living in the US.
Warm wishes poured in from across the pond via social media, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sharing a lighthearted photo of the three racing towards a finish line.
“Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince Harry today!” the caption read.
Markle marked the occasion by donating to CAMFED, an organisation working to eradicate poverty in Africa by empowering and educating girls.
The couple matched the $USD129 000 ($AUD176 170) the organisation had already raised, donating a further $USD130 000.
A statement released by the couple said they could think of “no better way to celebrate what really matters”.
