If I was a member of the Royal Family, I’d relish in the feeling of everyone using my official title (the queen that I am), but it appears the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aren’t all that fussed about how they should be addressed.
That’s according to Scott Moore, the newly appointed CEO of the Invictus Games’ upcoming 2025 edition in Whistler, Vancouver. In preparation for the Games — which kick off in February and remain an event that is dear to Prince Harry’s heart — Moore said he was given the rundown on what titles he should use to address the Duke and his wife, Meghan Markle, when they appear for the opening ceremony.
“I did make sure to ask how I should be addressing them when they get here,” Moore told Daily Mail of the pair’s upcoming visit. Apparently, Moore was told that a simple “Ma’am” would suffice for Meghan, and that Harry is happy to be addressed as “Sir.”
It marks a break from the traditional titles we’d expect of royalty, who are usually addressed with “Your Royal Highness” — which, coincidentally, is what I demand my housemates call me whenever I empty the dishwasher. They can also offer me a courtesy à la Mia Thermopolous from The Princess Diaries, but that’s optional.
Harry and Meghan’s non-use of the Royal Highness title is actually the result of their bombshell decision to withdraw from royal duties back in 2020. You remember that shocking royal exit and even more shocking Oprah interview? Well, all that hullabaloo meant that while Harry and Meghan retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex title, they relinquished the right to be addressed as Your Royal Highness.
Don’t get me wrong, the former titles still have a nice ring to them, but they don’t make me want to bust out some crumpets with a spot of tea in quite the same way as “Royal Highness” does. The pair being stripped of that title reflects their post-royal family exit status, but it isn’t the only name change they’ve demanded of late.
Earlier this year, the Duke and Duchess announced on their website they had chosen the surname Sussex for their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, marking a departure from the broader family’s use of the last name Mountbatten-Windsor. All of these particulars around how Harry should be addressed seem to contrast the titles he has preferred in the past.
According to The Express, the Duke once requested — back in 2020— that people simply call him “Harry” (what a novel idea!). In any case, it appears that casualness has been passed on to their children, with sources claiming earlier this month that the pair prefer calling their daughter by her nickname, Lili, as opposed to the time-wasting extra syllable of Lilibet. All this talk of names must be a nice change of pace away from the more concerning headlines that have followed Harry and Meghan in recent weeks.
The pair have been subject to widespread rumors of a separation or divorce, while Meghan has faced scrutiny around her business ventures. For his part, Harry has been accused of trying to upstage the royal family, as his long-running feud with his brother, Prince William, continues to draw attention. So if you ever get the chance to meet them, you now know that Harry and Meghan can be addressed as “Sir” and “Ma’am.” Heck, while you’re there, you might as well ask them for a spot of tea.