Is Meghan Markle A Princess? Royal Family Titles Explained

One of the more noteworthy quirks about certain members of the British Royal Family is that they might not have the official titles that one would expect. Meghan Markle is a prominent example of this, as even though she married Prince Harry, she is rarely called a princess.

Is Meghan Markle a princess? Yes and no, according to official Royal Family protocol. The easiest way to become a princess in the Royal Family is to be born one. Daughters of kings and princes are automatically called princesses, per royal rules.

Beyond that, anyone who wants to become a princess must marry a prince. Markle did just that when she and Prince Harry wed last year, but that did not make her Princess Meghan. She took Harry’s title, meaning her title is technically Princess Henry of Wales.

Instead of using that, she goes by Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Sussex instead.

In short, Markle is technically a princess, but she is not called one. The same currently goes for Kate Middleton, though her title could change in the future. Her husband, Prince William, is near the top of the line of succession to become the King. Prince Harry, meanwhile, is sixth.

The semantic difference might be rooted in Royal Family drama that occurred two decades ago. When Camilla Parker-Bowles married Prince Charles in 2005, she reportedly decided against taking the title of Princess of Wales. That title had previously belonged to the late Princess Diana, the former wife of Prince Charles.

Instead, she became the Duchess of Cornwall. That set a precedent for the wives of princes going by “Duchess” rather than “Princess” that both Middleton and Markle followed.