Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Excused from 'Royal Protocol' during Farewell to the Queen as He Turns 38
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently reunited with the royal family amid the strained relationship in honor of the Queen.
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The former senior royals who relinquished their roles have been excused from "royal protocol."
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This comes a few days before Prince Harry's 38th birthday.
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No HRH title for their kids; experts say it is a compromise.
The King's youngest son, Prince Harry, turns 38 today, exactly one week after the death of the Queen. This would be a memorable year for the celebrant who is involved in planning her funeral.
Harry and the Queen shared a close relationship, and despite the discord within the royal family following his exit, she reached out to him on his last birthday.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex pictured leaving following the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on June 3, 2022 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
The Queen wrote a compelling message honoring her grandson, who had just turned 37. Apart from the personal birthday wishes from the former reigning monarch, the royal family's social media pages shared four photos of Harry.
Royal experts observed that his grandmother's death was devastating to Harry as it was to other royal family members, and they claimed that, undoubtedly, the funeral arrangements would affect him as well, making him remember his mom's.
According to a body language expert, the Duke of Sussex looked visibly sad as he walked behind the Queen's coffin. For the march, he donned a black suit that contrasted his brother's uniform.
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022. | Source: Getty Images
Despite being a part of the army for a decade and scoring the captain rank, Harry's honorary military role was taken from him when he decided to step down as a senior member of the royal family.
Although he gave up his duties as a royal, Harry was still on good terms with his grandmother, so the Duke of Sussex released a soul-stirring message to honor the Queen.
In his statement, Harry mentioned that his "granny" was a "guiding compass" and that she was entirely committed to her service duty.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry attend the annual Chelsea Flower show at Royal Hospital Chelsea on May 18, 2015, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
The Prince admitted that he felt grateful for the memories they created from childhood until her passing. He included the Queen meeting Meghan and their kids, Archie, and Lilibet, who was named after her.
Harry also recognized the ruling monarch, King Charles III, and concluded his statement with heartfelt words that professed hope of a reunion between his grandparents. It read:
"You are already sorely missed…Thank you for your sound advice. Thank you for your infectious smile. We, too, smile knowing that you and Grandpa are reunited now and both together in peace."
King Charles III and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at the "Our Planet" global premiere at the Natural History Museum on April 04, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Today, Harry celebrates a new age and might be constantly reminded that it was on the same day last week that he lost his heroic grandmother.
Harry and Meghan Are Allowed to Break "Royal Protocol"
About twenty-four hours ago, Prince Harry and Meghan joined the family in a short service in honor of the Queen.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive at the town hall during the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 - One Year To Go events on September 06, 2022, in Dusseldorf, Germany. | Source: Getty Images
As the couple left Westminster Hall, they were spotted holding hands while walking closely while other royals walked swiftly without joining arms with their spouses.
Another claim is that they would not be granted the HRH status. This worries Harry and Meghan as they believe the titles automatically give some level of security to their kids.
Their lovey-dovey gesture sparked reactions from royal fans. Shannon Felton Spence, a royal expert, nodded to the couple's behavior. She explained that it was a way of showing support to the grieving Prince.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle visiting a local farming family, the Woodleys, on October 17, 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. | Source: Getty Images
Spence clarified that even though there are no rules on PDA for royals, catching them in such a position was rare because they often present a professional appearance. She added:
"When we see William and Catherine, they are husband and wife colleagues."
The expert hinted that such displays are seen between William and Kate on very few occasions. For instance, when they are playing a sport. Therefore, Harry and Meghan's seem astonishing, as it is very often.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 05, 2020 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Although the Sussexes were the only couple who held hands at the event, Inbaal Honigman, a celebrity psychic and body language expert, explained that they did not cross the line.
According to Honigman, the pair were not obligated to keep royal protocols and act professionally, as their duties differed from other royal members. The celebrity psychic noted that King Charles and his wife did not hold hands, nor did William and Kate.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during their visit at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Technology Park on October 3, 2018 in Bognor Regis, England. | Source: Getty Images
This was because they needed to dispense their duties as royals, unlike Harry, who was no longer a senior royal member. In her words:
"William is there in a public capacity. He may have just lost his grandmother, but his job as the King's eldest son is more important now than his grief. They're working members of the Royal Family and are sticking to protocol."
Harry and His Kids May Be Stripped of Their Titles
A source confirmed that the new King in town surely has a new way of doing things. According to the insider, King Charles has agreed to sign a Letters Patent to grant titles of Prince and princess to Harry's kids.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their baby son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019, in Cape Town, South Africa. | Source: Getty Images
This is speculated to take place soon, and when it does, 3-year-old Archie and his 1-year-old sister, Lilibet, who reside in the US, would have the Prince and Princess titles attached to their names.
However, another claim is that they would not be granted the HRH status. This worries Harry and Meghan as they believe the titles automatically give some level of security to their kids. The insider claimed:
"But they have been left furious that Archie and Lilibet cannot take the title HRH. That is the agreement — they can be Prince and Princess but not HRH because they are not working royals."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019, in Windsor, England. | Source: Getty Images
Going by King George V's decree in 1917, Archie and Lilibet are entitled to their titles, especially after the Queen's death. This rule was set to limit the number of royals with the HRH status.
Another royal expert, Phil Dampier, sees this move as a "classic compromise." However, he explained that this is not the first time a royal would have a title but not the status.
Dampier cited Sarah Ferguson and Diana, who were former royal members who kept their titles, but not their HRH titles.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on June 03, 2022, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Following their exit, dubbed Megxit, Meghan claimed that her son would be excluded from any title because of his race. However, she later explained that it is not attached to the "grandeur" of royal titles.
Although Harry and Meghan were clear on their non-involvement in royal duties two years ago, the couple has shown support for the royals and honored the Queen tremendously as they reunite to partake in funeral arrangements.