Newlyweds Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Receive Their New Official Titles from the Queen
In the months leading up to the royal wedding, the official royal titles of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been highly speculated.
Queen Elizabeth II gave Kate Middleton and Prince William the dukedom of Cambridge on their wedding day, so most people assumed she would do the same for Markle and Prince Harry.
Royal insiders speculated that Prince Harry would be given the dukedom of Sussex, but it was not the only choice available as a gift for the newlyweds.
The other choices for titles were the Duke and Duchess of Clarence and Avondale, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Since the last Duke of Windsor renounced the throne to marry his divorced American wife, Windsor seemed unlikely.
Although Markle has married a prince, which makes her technically a princess, she won’t be given the official princess title.
Before Prince Harry and Markle exchanged their vows Saturday morning, Queen Elizabeth announced their official royal titles to the family gathered to watch the two say “I do.”
The royal couple will be officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, according to the palace’s statement.
Prince Harry will also be the Earl of Dumbarton in Scotland and Earl of Baron Kilkeel in Northern Ireland.
“The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince Henry of Wales. His titles will be Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel,” the statement from the palace said.
“Prince Harry thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, and Ms. Meghan Markle on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.”
The Queen’s bestowing titles upon members of the royal family on their wedding day is a longtime tradition, but Markle’s receipt of the title comes with a few complications.
As an American citizen, she would typically have to become a British citizen first, which would take five years of Markle living in the U.K.
However, Queen Elizabeth has the authority to grant Markle the title before she becomes a citizen. The palace’s announcement makes Markle the first non-British citizen to receive a royal moniker.
Congratulations to the newlyweds! Did you watch the royal wedding?
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