On March 7, in front of Oprah Winfrey and screens around the world, he said he was "hurt" by his grandmother's decision. While “completely respecting” it: “I would love it if we were still able to support these associations, even without a title or role.” However, Prince Harry, who celebrates his 37th birthday this Wednesday, September 15, will no longer be able to use his name or his presence to help the causes and organizations he has sponsored so far.

On February 19, Buckingham Palace announced that he and his wife Meghan Markle were officially becoming non-working members of the royal family. The Megxit thus ratified, all eyes remain on Queen Elizabeth II, to know to whom will be distributed the titles of which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been dispossessed. And one question remains, all the more burning as the March 7 interview widened the gap that keeps the Sussexes away from the royal family: what titles do they still enjoy?

In video, the explosive secrets of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Honorary titles

Prince Harry had three final military titles - those of Captain General of the Royal Navy, Honorary Commander of the Air Force at Honington Base, and Honorary Commander-in-Chief small ships and diving within the Royal Navy: some of these could be passed on to Prince William and Princess Anne.

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Little Archie's father is also giving up his patronage status with the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League, and the London Marathon. It would be the same for Meghan Markle who, for her part, loses, among other things, her function of representation with the National Theater. The couple, who are expecting a second child, are also stripped of their status as Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors, and President and Vice-Presidents of the Commonwealth Trust. He should nevertheless keep his roles with private charities, such as the Invictus Games or WellChild, Sentebale, Mayhew and Smart Works. Work that he could accomplish through his Archewell foundation, as Meghan Markle hinted to Oprah Winfrey.

A suspended prince?

As the sovereign's grandson, Harry was born prince of the United Kingdom, Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the predicate of highness royal. However, he is no longer authorized to use the latter since he is no longer an active member of the royal family: thus, his name no longer be preceded by the words "his royal highness". A gesture reminiscent of that of his mother, Princess Diana, who also renounced the predicate after her divorce.

He remains, however, Prince, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel. As well as Duke of Sussex, a title granted to him by the Queen on his wedding day. And still occupies his place of sixth person in the order of succession to the throne. Which gives him little chance of being king one day, even if he wanted to.

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Archie, poor relation of the monarchy?

As for Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, his son, he has no title, his parents having decided so from his birth. Meghan Markle, however, pointed out during the March 7 interview that Buckingham Palace would have deprived him of the title of prince no matter what, as well as an adequate security service, which would have caused a real "pain" to the latter. And this not because of the “greatness” of a title, but because of “the idea that our son is not safe and that the first colored member of this family is the only one not to be titled in the same way as the other grandchildren”.

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On this point, Craig Prescott, British constitutional expert, provided details on the Daily Mail website on 9 March. According to a law enacted by King George V in 1917, only the children of a monarch, or the son of a monarch, can claim the title of prince: which would have been the case for Archie when Charles became king .

However, the law was amended in 2012 by Elizabeth II herself: the latter, in fact, via letters patent, gave the titles of prince and princess to George, Louis and Charlotte, the children of Prince William and of Kate Middleton, so that they have it from birth. Decision she didn't make for their cousin, Archie.

*This article originally published on March 10, 2021 has been updated.