Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Still 'Consumed As Royals' Despite Stepping Down, Experts Say

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry continue to be viewed and consumed as royals despite having stepped down as working royals last year, according to experts.

In a new piece by NBC News, historians and cultural scholars shared their thoughts on Prince Harry and Markle's transition from royals to celebrities and activists following their move to California. One expert said he believes the British royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to be associated with each other.

"Whether they like it or not, they still seem to represent the monarchy," Kehinde Andrews, a professor of Black studies at Birmingham City University in England, was quoted by NBC News as saying. "He's still Prince Harry. He's still the grandson of the queen. The way they'll be consumed is very much as part of the royals."

Andrea McDonnell, co-author of the book "Celebrity: A History of Fame," also suggested that Prince Harry and Markle have taken on a role in the U.S. that appears to be an extension of their royal positions.

"There's the cliché that celebrities are America's royalty. We look to celebrity figures as icons of success and cultural leadership. In the United States, Harry and Meghan have taken on that role, in some ways," she told the outlet.

However, it has been suggested that Markle and Prince Harry's influence could lessen with their transformation from royals to celebrities. Mike Paterson, a historian and author of "A Brief History of the House of Windsor: The Making of a Modern Monarchy," pointed out the advantage royals have over celebrities.

"Celebrity is by its very nature ephemeral," he said. "A person who is leading trends today will by definition be replaced in time by someone younger, more beautiful, more charismatic. The point of the royal family is they are never in fashion and never out of fashion."

As for how the Sussexes' work will affect the British royal family, McDonnell compared their effect to that of Princess Diana.

"I think it's possible that Harry and Meghan's image make Elizabeth II seem more aloof," McDonnell said. "I think there are parallels to the discourse around Princess Diana. Diana was the shining star that could connect with people and who had empathy, and those qualities put the queen in sharper contrast."

Meanwhile, Catherine Haddon, a historian and constitutional expert at the Institute for Government in London, said she believes that Prince Harry and Markle's departure was a lost opportunity for the monarchy to "change or appeal to a wider group of people."

In February, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided not to return to royal duties a year after "Megxit." Following their decision, the Queen stripped Prince Harry and Markle of their royal patronages and his honorary military appointments.

However, Markle continues to serve as patron of the animal welfare charity Mayhew and Smart Works, an organization that helps women return to the workforce. Prince Harry will continue with his roles as patron for the Invictus Games Foundation, children's charity WellChild and Rhino Conservation Botswana.