Is Harry, the Duke of Sussex, still a prince?

Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have moved abroad and stepped away from their royal duties. Does this mean that the Duke of Sussex, Harry, is no longer a prince?

Birthright means quite a lot when it comes to the Royal Family, as we all know. Born into Royalty, Harry, the Duke of Sussex grew up in the spotlight and was always known to be a prince.

Whether or not Harry was comfortable with this label as he grew older is certainly unclear, but he has made one thing clear; he wishes to step away from royal duties. 

Harry and Meghan's very public and very painful exit from the Royal Family raised eyebrows around the world and the nature of the pair's exit meant that it appeared like many bridges were burned between them and the Royal Family as they sought financial independence and were stripped of their Royal titles.

All of these changes to the Royal order beg the question is Harry still a prince?

Well, technically, the answer is yes. Harry is still a prince by birthright and is still in the line of succession to the throne, but it isn't as simple as that.

Harry and Meghan made the choice to give up their His / Her Royal Highness (HRH) titles, meaning that they won't be referred to by their "Royal" names.

This means that yes, Harry no longer wishes to be referred to as 'Prince'.

Interestingly, however, the Duke of Sussex is still fifth in line for the throne.

So, there you have it. Ultimately, the Duke of Sussex is still technically considered to be a prince, even though he wishes otherwise. As Meghan only married into the family, her status as a 'princess' is a little bit more unclear, with many Royalists claiming that she has completely lost the title. 

Something tells us she won't mind too much!

* Originally published in Sept 2020, updated in May 2023.