Meghan Markle Sparks Fury By 'Using HRH Title With Friends' Despite Agreeing To Stop Flaunting Royal Links When She Quit U.K. To Become 'Financially Independent' From Crown
Meghan Markle refers to herself as Her Royal Highness around friends, as jam gift shows, despite agreeing to ditch title after moving to the U.S. with husband Prince Harry.
April 29 2025, Published 11:34 a.m. ET
Meghan Markle has sparked fresh fury after continuing to use her royal title — despite agreeing to relinquish it in a deal struck with the late Queen.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Duchess, 43, calls herself "Her Royal Highness" to friends.
Markle risks breaking a deal made with the late Queen by using the HRH title.
Although no laws were passed or documents signed to prevent their use, Harry and Meghan's agreement with the late Queen and senior officials was that they would stop using the word "royal" and their HRH titles after they quit duties and emigrated to the U.S. to become "financially independent" from the Crown.
A spokesman for the Sussexes has insisted today that they do not use HRH titles for commercial purposes.
But critics have said that the image of the note with some organic ice cream and jam, published yesterday, was a tacit plug for Meghan's As Ever lifestyle range, while also promoting her new podcast episode with her friend Jamie Kern Lima.
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward said: "I think if her late grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth was still around, she would be highly offended, as she was very sensitive about that.
"The Queen didn't remove HRH but told them not to use it.
"But she isn't here anymore, so maybe Harry and Meghan think they can get away with it."
Royal fans have reacted furiously to the name on the card this evening, with one writing on X: "I thought they couldn't use HRH?"
Another said: "She's not to (use) it per the Queen!"
Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in January 2020 and embarked on a new life together in California.
Critics called Meghan out for alligator tears in her latest podcast appearance.
In a statement at the time Buckingham Palace said: "The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."
HRH, an abbreviation of His/Her Royal Highness, is used as part of the title of some members of the royal family.
Since their exit, Meghan has often appeared to make thinly veiled swipes at the Royal Family, most recently claiming in a new podcast episode that she and Harry were "in the trenches" when they first started dating.
In her first-ever podcast interview, Meghan opened up to Jamie about her family life in Montecito with Harry and their children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
Meghan revealed she was sending the youngsters an email every day to create a "time capsule" they could revisit when they are older.
Markle read out a letter she wrote to her children during her stint on the podcast.
The mother-of-two became emotional as she read out a letter from them which read: "From Archie and Lili via Papa. We love your cooking. We love your pancakes, and we love, love, love your hugs. You're the best mummy and we love you."
Referring to the note, Meghan said: "So sweet. I also love that it's mummy, instead of mommy, which is very British."
Blinking back tears, she added: "I wasn't expecting this, they're just so great. This is why it's so nice to have no makeup on, thank you."
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Prince Harry and Meghan agreed to surrender their royal titles when they quit the U.K. for the U.S.
But RadarOnline.com revealed on Monday her emotions didn't wash with some listeners, who called her out as "fake".
"So fake and phony," one person commented on X, as another opined: "Her favorite subject: herself."
A third wondered: "Do you see a drop of moisture coming out of her eyes? What is she wiping away?"
As one person noted: "Meghan comes across like, 'Aren't I awesome.... It's your fault that you can't see it cause I. Am. Awesome.'"
