Harry and Meghan’s parting shot sparks calls for the Queen to go further

Stripped of their titles, Harry and Meghan’s response has left the British public furious.

The ratcheted tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family were clear to see on Friday. Picture: AFP

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s parting shot at the Queen, lecturing the monarch about “service”, seemed to have been a wounded and petulant riposte to Harry losing his cherished military titles.

But a furious British public, upset that the Queen has been so rudely disrespected, especially at a time when her husband, 99 year old Prince Philip is hospitalised, have called on the Queen to go much further and remove the couple’s royal highness honorific and recall the dukedom of Sussex she gifted them on their wedding day three years ago.

Palace insiders say the Queen doesn’t want to be too provocative and has kept the titles intact.

Nor has the couple shown any inclination to hand their royal connections back, despite their lecturing of others about privilege.

Meghan and Harry continue to style themselves Duke and Duchess of Sussex and have retained, but don’t use, the Royal Highness honorific as part of their agreement with the Queen last year.

But if the Duke and Duchess titles were removed, Harry would still be Prince Harry and Meghan could style herself as The Princess Henry of Wales, which Americans may find even more grandiose and appealing.

No longer will 39-year-old Meghan have her dashing prince dressed in the starched military uniforms and regalia to accompany her on photo shoots and opening nights. Picture: AFP

The ratcheted tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family were clear to see on Friday as the Sussexes confirmed they would not return to royal duties. But the public anger at Harry and Meghan’s graceless departure has intensified in the hours since as Prince Philip remains in hospital for a fifth day for “rest and observation’’.

On Saturday Prince Charles travelled from Highgrove to visit his 99-year-old father, obtaining a special clearance to enter the King Edward VII hospital in London, which is off limits to visitors because of the national coronavirus lockdown.

The Queen, dismayed that one of her favourite grandsons has departed British royal life for good to live in Los Angeles and live propped up with Neflix and Spotify multi million dollar deals and fireside chats with Oprah, has made it clear that Harry, still sixth in line to the throne, is now deeply distanced from Royal life.

”In stepping away from the work of the Royal Family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,’’ Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

With that pronouncement, Harry, 36, lost the military connections he so prized particularly the one handed to him by Prince Philip, that of Captain General of the Royal Marines. He also relinquished Honorary Air Commandant, RAF Honington, and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command.

Just minutes later, the Sussexes responded with “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal”.

But no longer will 39-year-old Meghan have her dashing prince dressed in the starched military uniforms and regalia to accompany her on photo shoots and opening nights. Tradition dictates that Harry can wear his medals, but not a uniform. Harry last wore the Royal Marines uniform at a concert at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020, with Meghan in matching red dress, just days before they abandoned their recently renovated home at Frogmore House and headed across the Atlantic.

So when Harry has his cameo appearance on Oprah, at the end of the March 7 world exclusive chat with Meghan, he will have to dig in the wardrobe for a suit and tie.