Revoking ‘damaged’ Harry and Meghan’s titles will help them ‘play victim’ yet again, author says
Nearly four years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back from their roles in the British royal family, there have been increasing calls, including from MP Bob Seely, to strip them of their royal titles. Amidst this debate, historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon offers a different perspective, suggesting that removing their titles could inadvertently victimize them.
Prince Harry and Meghan have been far from silent since their departure. Their actions, including a Netflix documentary, a revealing interview with Oprah Winfrey, and Prince Harry’s revealing memoir ‘Spare’, have kept them in the public eye. The royal family has remained silent on these public disclosures, but the proposal by some, including Seely, to strip them of their titles, could potentially escalate tensions irreparably.
During a segment with Sky News Australia, Seldon weighed the implications of revoking their titles. He expressed concern that such a move might play into the narrative of Harry and Meghan being victims of a hostile Buckingham Palace, thus giving them even more publicity and placing them in the global headlines once again.
Seldon described the Duke and Duchess as “very very damaged people” and questioned whether making them the center of a royal feud is the right approach. He suggested that allowing them to fade from public memory might be more effective.
This debate comes at a time when Harry and Meghan’s popularity has seen a significant decline. The Hollywood Reporter, in its annual roundup of winners and losers, did not list the Sussexes among the winners, which included celebrities like Taylor Swift and Margot Robbie. The publication criticized their efforts, including the Netflix documentary and Prince Harry’s memoir, as self-pitying, while noting that their current situation still beats fulfilling royal duties.
The Sussexes are not the only royal family members experiencing a dip in popularity. King Charles III has also seen a slight decrease in public favor since ascending the throne after Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.