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When Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry decided they would resign from their roles as senior working members of the British royal family, no one really knew what that was going to look like. During their initial announcement, the royal couple outlined a progressive new plan where they would become financially independent, split their time between the U.S. and the U.K., and still work on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II part-time.

Unfortunately, their plan didn’t quite go over well with the remaining senior royals. After all, there is no such thing as a part-time royal. Instead, the pair stepped back completely, moved to Santa Barbara, and though they still work with their U.K. charities, they are focused on their own ventures.

However, amid her recent calls for U.S. citizens to vote in the forthcoming Presidential election, royal fans want Meghan to be stripped of her title.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle still have royal titles

When Megxit was announced, there was a ton of speculation about what the queen would do about the Duke and the Duchess of Sussexes’ titles. The prince was born with a His Royal Highness title due to the status of his parents. Meanwhile, Meghan inherited Her Royal Highness title when she married Prince Harry in May 2018.

In the end, though Prince Harry was stripped of some of his honorary military titles — both he and Meghan retained their royal titles. In mid-January 2020, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying, “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.”

These days, the Sussexes go by, Meghan and Harry.

Meghan Markle has been getting political lately

With her newfound freedom away from royal life’s rules and regulations, Meghan has been getting political lately. Since she is still a U.S. citizen, she’s been speaking out about the importance of voting for women in particular. During When We All Vote’s digital couch party Meghan said, 

Today, we are watching so many women in different communities who are marginalized still struggling to see that right [to vote] come to fruition. I am mobilized and energized to see the change that we all need and deserve.

Though Meghan never mentioned Trump, she did call for change. During a recent chat with Gloria Steinem, she also expressed her excitement about Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

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Meghan Markle can only be stripped of her title if Prince Harry is too

Since Meghan is wading in the partisan waters, royal fans are upset. Royals are known for their neutrality in politics. Now some people want Meghan to be stripped of her HRH title. However, since Meghan is no longer a working royal, we don’t see the issue.

Also, Meghan can only be stripped of her title if Prince Harry is as well. Constitutional expert Iain MacMarthanne told Express,

By convention, royals are expected to be politically neutral, thus respecting their constitutional positions.Like all conventions, there is much flexibility as to what is, and what is not, acceptable territory to become involved in, and the further away any royal is from succeeding to the crown the greater the latitude given.

Meghan has not done anything wrong. “The duchess holds her styles and titles as a courtesy, derived from her husband,” MacMarthanne explained. “In effect, there is nothing to strip from her, she is at liberty not to use these titles and could, should she prefer, be known by her pre-marital name.”

Queen Elizabeth II is set to review Megxit and the Sussexes titles in 2021.

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