Meghan Markle Slammed For Using Title While Advocating For Paid Parental Leave

Some royal fans have called out Meghan Markle for using her title in the open letter she wrote pushing for paid parental leave for American parents.

In the letter published by Paid Leave for All Wednesday, Markle asked Congress to support paid parental leave policies, insisting that paid leave for new parents "should be a national right, rather than a patchwork option."

The philanthropist signed the letter as Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, which raised some eyebrows among royal fans on Twitter. In the letter, Markle only used her duchess title and not her HRH title, the latter of which she no longer has the right to use.

While many supported her advocacy, a number of users claimed using her British peerage title in her "political" letter was "inappropriate," considering Markle and Prince Harry had quit their roles as working members of the royal family and moved to the U.S.

"Why is she using her title in America to make a political point? 'The Duchess of Sussex' campaigning politically - both sound ridiculous in America 2021 and highly inappropriate for a British royal," one Twitter user wrote, adding, "I'd have no problem with her letter if she wasn't trading on that title!"

Another tweeted, "This is completely unacceptable, the [royal family has] to suspend both titles!"

"It was highly inappropriate. Harry should have known that. If she wants to comment as a private citizen, she could have, but using her title connected her expression of political thought to the [royal family] and to [Great Britain]," a different user wrote.

"She only uses it when she wants [to] but does nothing for the royal family. She's the Kardashian of the Windsors," another netizen claimed.

However, Markle's supporters defended the former "Suits" star, pointing out that she was allowed to use her duchess title and that the message of her letter was more important than how she signed it.

One person expressed support for the Sussexes by commenting, "I don't blame them for stepping down. Will be Diana all over again."

Many also praised Markle for using her platform to highlight a cause that would benefit people across the nation.

"My heart. Princess Meghan has done it again. Standing up for causes that benefit everyone. So proud and let's get this ball rolling," one supporter wrote.

"No wonder Prince Harry fell in love with her! She truly does have a heart like Princess Diana's," another Twitter user commented.

"[Meghan is] always using her voice not for herself but for the less fortunate," another tweeted.

Markle and Prince Harry lost the right to use their former HRH titles when they quit royal duties, but they are still entitled to be known by Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Grazia noted.

The titles were bestowed on them by Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day in 2018, and taking them away would require an Act of Parliament, with a statute passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, according to the outlet.

"The agreement with the Queen was not to use HRH," royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam told Express of the couple's royal exit.

When Prince Harry and Markle decided to step down from royal duties in January 2020, they said in their announcement that they "will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family," Insider reported.

Markle dropped her HRH title in the birth certificate of their daughter Lilibet, whom they welcomed in June. However, Prince Harry, who also shares 2-year-old son Archie with Markle, chose to use "Duke of Sussex" as his first name and "His Royal Highness" as his last name on their second child's certificate.