The Queen's Announcement about Harry and Meghan

[lapucelle]

Edited to clarify the names Harry and Meghan will be known by individually in the future.

“Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.

“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.

“I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.

“I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.

“It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”

It has also been announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will no longer use their royal titles as they step back as senior royals.

The couple will also no longer receive public funds for any royal duties they undertake, and will repay £2.4m of taxpayer money for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage

They won’t now formally represent The Queen as they go about their business as they aim to spend the majority of their time in North America.

https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/queen/the-queen-harry-meghan-and-archie-will-always-be-much-loved-members-of-my-family-136491/

It has also been announced that:
- Harry and Meghan will no longer use HRH titles
- Prince Harry will lose his official military appointments
- They will lose their appointments as Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors.
- They will no longer officially represent The Queen or use their ‘Royal Highness’ status

Individually, they will be known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, rather than simply the Duke of Sussex or the Duchess of Sussex.

As a couple they will remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex without the honorific HRH preceding the title.

[hlthe2b]

1. It will be interesting to see how they handle security...

For the foreseeable future, they are going to have to have it.

[Big Blue Marble]

2. Canada is being forced to pay for it as a member of the Realm. N/T

[Ms. Toad]

3. I think you're off on this one:

The couple will be known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, rather than the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, beginning in the spring.

Those two are identical. What is being lost is not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but the HRH titles (His Royal Highness, the Duke of Sussex, or His and Her Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex)

The couple will still be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry will remain a prince, but will not use the title, reported Daily Mail’s royal correspondent Rebecca English.

https://www.businessinsider.my/harry-meghan-megxit-stepping-back-queen-announcement-2020-1/

[lapucelle]

4. According to this report, they will both lose the HRH designation

and they will no longer be known simply as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex:

Aides have said the couple will be known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, rather than the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, beginning in the spring, as well.

The Duke of Sussex, as he is still known for a few months, will have royal duties until the new model takes effect. These will be announced in due course.

https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/sussex/prince-harry-to-lose-official-military-appointments-as-he-and-meghan-step-back-from-royal-duties-136499/

Time will tell...

[Ms. Toad]

8. Those look identical to me.

are identical?

Before Duke and Duchess of Sussex; after Duke and Duchess of Sussex. If you refer to Duke and Duchess separately, they would be Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex. The difference between referring to them as a pair, as opposed to individuals, has nothing to do with a title change - it is only a difference between referring to one v. referrring to both.

Every other article I have seen indicates that what they are losing is not their identity as Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but the use of HRH in connection with those titles.

From the Washington Post:

This means that Harry and Meghan’s titles will be pruned back. Harry’s official title was “His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex,” and Meghan’s was “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.” The statement confirms that they have lost the “HRH” part. . . . Harry will continue on as prince, and the couple will still be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, titles awarded to the couple by the queen on the occasion of their wedding.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/britains-prince-harry-and-meghan-to-surrender-their-royal-highness-titles/2020/01/18/3bc68470-3a24-11ea-a1ff-c48c1d59a4a1_story.html

[lapucelle]

9. Before: HRH The Duke of Sussex or The Duke of Sussex.

After: His Grace, The Duke of Sussex or Harry, Duke of Sussex.

They are not losing their identity as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex; nor are they losing their titles as duke or duchess. They are losing/renouncing their status as "royal".

[Ms. Toad]

13. That is what I said. Twice, now.

That's not what you said in your first post (or your reply to my first post).

Copied directly from your first post:

The couple will be known as Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, rather than the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, beginning in the spring.

[lapucelle]

14. If the honorific is used, Harry's name has changed from HRH to His Grace The Duke of Sussex.

If no honorific is used, he will be Harry, Duke of Sussex whereas he is now simply known as the Duke of Sussex.

I edited the OP to make that clearer.

From an article about the Queen's initial statement:

The Queen’s statement gives us a major clue about how the Duke & Duchess of Sussex will be known in the future

In her message, the monarch said: “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.“

The fact that The Queen refers to the couple as simply ‘Harry and Meghan’ as opposed to their formal titles indicates that we can expect to see more of this in the future.

In past royal statements, The Queen has only ever referred to her family members by their formal titles.

https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/sussex/the-queens-statement-gives-us-a-major-clue-about-how-the-duke-duchess-of-sussex-will-be-known-in-the-future-136247/

[kskiska]

5. I suppose that applies to their child (or children) also.

Princess Anne chose to have no titles for her children.

[HipChick]

6. It will not..

They already chose not to have a title for Archie at birth..

[lapucelle]

7. Harry and Meghan had made the same choice as well,

but I think Archie would have automatically become the Duke of Sussex upon Harry's death.

[lindysalsagal]

10. I'll be sure to address them properly. Awful nice of Liz to clarify

That for me when I bump into them.

[lapucelle]

11. Don't forget, you no longer have to curtsey...

[Kaleva]

12. So they will remain nobles but not royal nobles.

As they will remain the Duke an Duchess of Sussex.

[milestogo]

15. they can still call each other "your royal highness" in private

I've heard that in my own family, always as sarcasm.

[lapucelle]

16. I have a friend who used to call her daughter "madame queen" when she got out of hand.

There's a story that when the Queen was a little girl, one of the older, senior military guards in the palace said something like "Good Morning, my little lady" to her.

"I am not your little lady. I am Princess Elizabeth," she answered.

Her grandmother Queen Mary, a stickler for good manners (including respect for elders), heard about the incident, and made her apologize with these words:

"I am Princess Elizabeth. Someday I hope to be a lady."