Meghan Markle dealt savage 'new verdict' on her using HRH title in private
Viewers spotted a gift card from Meghan where she used her HRH title
Meghan Markle has been dealt a brutal public blow as royal fans overwhelmingly rejected the idea that she should be allowed to use her HRH title, even in private.
In a new poll conducted by Royal Insider, readers were asked whether the Duchess of Sussex should be permitted to use the Her Royal Highness (HRH) title in non-official or personal contexts.
The result was resounding. Over 92% of respondents said no, Meghan should not be allowed to use the HRH title at all, not even behind closed doors.
Only 7% backed Meghan’s use of the title privately, saying it was harmless given her right through marriage.
Meghan Markle faces backlash for using HRH title
The fierce debate comes after a recent podcast appearance. Last week, Meghan appeared alongside entrepreneur Jamie Kern Lima on her eponymous podcast.
However, a gift basket Meghan had previously sent Jamie was shown and it sparked backlash. Alongside ice cream and homemade strawberry sauce, an accompanying card read: “With the Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex.”
This sparked immediate backlash. Royal watchers questioned whether the duchess had violated the terms of her 2020 agreement with Buckingham Palace.
The “Sandringham Summit” in January 2020 – a meeting between Harry, Meghan and senior royals about their exit from duties – took place after Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back. It resulted in one key condition.
The couple would retain their HRH titles – but not use them.
At the time, Buckingham Palace issued a clear statement: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the royal family.”
On their own website, the Sussexes clarified: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will retain their ‘HRH’ prefix… [but] will no longer actively use their HRH titles.”
Meghan Markle defended over use of royal title
After the backlash last week, a source close to the Sussexes told media outlets that the card shown in the podcast was sent “more than a year ago” and was “a personal gift, not tied to any commercial activity”.
The insider said: “Harry and Meghan retain their HRH titles; however, by agreement, they do not use them for commercial purposes.”
However, critics argue that any use of the title undermines the boundary the royal family attempted to set in 2020.
During the interview, Jamie explained the gift meant a great deal to her.
The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the royal family.
“It was like, as if you’re in my shoes, feeling what I was feeling without me even needing to tell you anything,” she told Meghan. “You’re doing something that adds value to my life.”
The duchess also gave a personalised cooking board to Jamie’s six-year-old daughter, Wonder.
As well as their HRH titles, Harry and Meghan also kept their Sussex titles. They’re known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
While the HRH debate rages, Meghan has recently spoken of the deep meaning the Sussex name holds for her family.
“It’s our shared name as a family. I guess I hadn’t recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” Meghan told PEOPLE earlier this year. “It means a lot to me. [It] is part of our love story.”
She and Prince Harry, 40, are raising their children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, three, in California.
What do you think? Should Meghan be allowed to use the HRH title? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page.
