Meghan Markle and Harry: Expert on timing of statement
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shocked the world when they announced they were stepping down as senior royals last year. They have since set up a new life for themselves in the US and signed multi-million deals with Netflix and Spotify. However, they are facing a review with the Queen next month following a year of independence away from the Royal Family about their future in the Firm.
Readers were asked between 11.22am and 9.36pm today whether they would support the Sussexes they wanted to return to the Royal Family frontline.
Out of the 20,502 people who voted, a staggering 18,701 voters said no.
Only 1,559 people said they would support their return.
And 242 readers said they did not know.
Meghan and Harry have been told they will not be welcome back in the UK in a poll (Image: GETTY)
Express.co.uk readers said they would not welcome the couple back into the royal fold (Image: APESTER)
People were also quick to share their opinions about a potential return to the royal fold.
One said: “Harry can come back any time, as far as I am concerned, but Meghan never.”
Another added: “What? After the way these two have behaved? A big fat no!”
A third reader wrote: “They should go ahead and enjoy their ‘private’ life with all association to the British Royal Family severed for good.”
READ MORE: Meghan and Harry ‘put out’ after Queen excluded couple
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due a review with the Queen (Image: GETTY)
A fourth reader simply said: “Absolutely not.”
The couple retained their HRH styles as part of their arrangement to step down as senior members of the Royal Family, even though they do not use them.
But they are unlikely to be told to give up their titles when they face Her Majesty at their Sandringham Summit in March to discuss their year of independence.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams explained that there is “no call” for a change as the Queen gave the pair their titles as wedding gift.
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Meghan Markle is now living with Harry in the US (Image: PA)
He said: “Harry and Meghan are certainly less popular in the UK but they are concentrating on the US and the wider world.
“We will only know the true extent of their global reach after the pandemic.
“The titles of Duke and Sussex are in the gift of the Queen, they received them on their wedding day.
“There is no call for them to give them up, it would serve no purpose at all and there is no sign whatsoever that they wish to do so.
Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior royals last year (Image: EXPRESS)
“They still can keep their HRH titles but cannot use them.
“This is unlikely to change although the Sandringham Agreement will be reviewed by the end of March.”
Harry is said to be hoping the 12-month review will clear the air after being left devastated to learn he would lose his military titles.
Harry held the titles: Captain-General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands’ Small Ships and Diving.
The couple have quickly settled into a new life away from the royal fold (Image: PA)
Harry reportedly told the Commandant General Royal Marines, Matthew Holmes, last March that he was “devastated that I am having to step down,” before adding: “I feel I’m letting people down, but I had no choice.”
Meghan later told a friend the decision to strip Harry of his military honours was “so unnecessary”, according to the biography Finding Freedom.
Buckingham Palace said that following their decision to leave, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “understand that they are required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments”.
Mr Fitzwilliams added Meghan and Harry appear to be happy with their new independence after Meghan previously spoke about being “isolated” while she was in the UK.
Harry and Meghan have signed a new deal to make podcasts (Image: INSTAGRAM)
He said: “There is no sign at all that Harry and Meghan are anything other than content with their independence which also extends to financial self-sufficiency.
“They still retain their roles as President and Vice-President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust but lost their roles as Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors under the Sandringham Agreement with the Queen.”
