Brutal Poll Verdict for Meghan Markle as 97% of Britons Reject ‘Princess Meghan’ Title in Stinging Royal Setback

Meghan Markle has been handed a decidedly unwelcome verdict from the British public, with an overwhelming majority rejecting the idea of addressing her as a princess. Despite marrying into the Royal Family in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex appears to have little public support for any move towards a more elevated royal style.

The latest poll suggests that the words ‘Princess Meghan’ are far from winning over readers.

97% Deliver a Resounding ‘No’ to Princess Meghan

Meghan has been known as the Duchess of Sussex since her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018. She has never officially been styled as Princess Meghan, largely because royal naming conventions do not allow her to use that particular title.

Instead, if she were to be given a princess designation through her marriage, the correct style would be Princess Harry of Wales.

But a new Daily Express poll suggests that many Britons are firmly opposed to the idea regardless.

The newspaper asked readers at 7am on October 27: “Should Meghan Markle be styled as a Princess?”

The poll closed at 10am on October 28, producing a striking result:

• 97% voted against Meghan being styled as a princess.
• 2% supported the idea.
• 1% said they were unsure.

The response left little room for ambiguity, with the overwhelming majority of participating readers rejecting the proposed royal styling.

Readers Make Their Feelings Clear

The comments accompanying the poll were equally blunt.

One Daily Express reader dismissed the suggestion with a pointed remark: “NO, she shouldn’t be called Princess! Princess of what? Mayhem????”

Another offered an equally direct response: “No to Meghan being called a princess.”

The results reflect the views of those who participated in the newspaper’s poll, rather than the British public as a whole, but the margin between supporters and opponents was unmistakable.

Why Meghan Would Not Be Known as Princess Meghan

Even if Meghan were to use a princess title, royal convention would not give her the name Princess Meghan.

The rules traditionally reserve the styling of Prince or Princess followed by a first name for individuals born into the Royal Family.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, is frequently referred to as Princess Catherine, but that is not the formal title she uses. Her official style remains Catherine, Princess of Wales.

Meghan’s position is further complicated by the question of Prince Harry’s own royal titles.

Former Palace Aide Explains What Could Happen to Harry and Meghan’s Titles

Royal editor Emily Ferguson recently discussed the issue with former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter on the latest episode of Royals Unscripted.

Addressing whether Harry and Meghan could lose their royal titles, Arbiter explained that stripping Harry of his birthright as a prince would be a different matter from removing his dukedom.

He said: “As far as taking titles away from Harry and Meghan, well, you can’t really take the title prince away because he hasn’t done anything wrong.

“He’s just rubbished the family, and that’s a private matter. He was born a prince, and he’ll die a prince.”

Arbiter then highlighted what removing Harry’s dukedom could mean for Meghan’s royal styling.

“If you take the dukedom away, then where does that leave Meghan? That makes Meghan in practice Princess Harry of Wales.”

His comments underline the distinction between Harry’s birthright as a prince and the titles associated with his marriage.

What About Archie and Lilibet?

Prince Harry and Meghan’s children, Archie and Lilibet, occupy a different position under royal rules.

Both hold the titles of prince and princess because they are descended by blood from the Royal Family and their grandfather is the monarch.

They retained those titles even while growing up in the United States.

Whether either child will choose to use their royal titles in a professional capacity as an adult remains uncertain. It may be unlikely, given that neither Harry nor Meghan has been a working royal since stepping away from official royal duties in 2020.

Their royal status has not changed, and the couple remain non-working royals.

For Meghan, however, the latest poll offers a particularly stark snapshot of public opinion: while royal titles may be governed by tradition and protocol, the idea of calling her ‘Princess Meghan’ has received an overwhelmingly negative response from participating Daily Express readers.