Meghan Markle is living the rom-com dream and dating a royal. The Suits star and Prince Harry went public with their relationship last fall, and—as anyone who attended elementary school can attest—first comes love, then comes marriage. Which begs the question: what will Meghan Markle’s official title be if she and Prince Harry do tie the knot? Here’s what we know.
FIRST, CAN PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE EVEN *GET* MARRIED?
In 2017, this might seem like a ridiculous question—but Harry’s royal status complicates things for two reasons: Markle is divorced and Catholic (according to People, she attended the private Immaculate Heart Convent school in L.A.).
Markle divorced producer Trevor Engelson in 2013, but this shouldn’t be a huge obstacle if she and Prince Harry decide to tie the knot because there’s precedent for royals marrying divorcées. (Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles were both divorced before their marriage in 2005.)
Meanwhile, the concern about Markle’s faith stems from an archaic rule set forth in George III’s Royal Marriages Act of 1772, which prohibited senior members of the royal family from marrying Catholics. In 2015, new rules went into effect under the Succession to the Crown Act which allows members of the royal family to marry Catholics. Phew.
According to Royal Central, in the United Kingdom wives automatically take their husband’s title, meaning Markle would be HRH Princess Henry of Wales (admittedly a little weird). However, she would not be Princess Meghan, since “princess” is a title that you have to be born into under the British monarchy (which is why Kate Middleton is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge—not Princess Kate.
Royal Historian Marlene Koenig explains that like William, Harry will likely be made a Duke—therefore his wife will be a Duchess.
“Most likely, he will be created a Duke. Sussex is available so [Markle] would be HRH the Duchess of Sussex. Her rank would be a princess by marriage of the United Kingdom, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland,” Koenig said.
Welp, that settles that! Now we just have to wait for the proposal…
By Marie Claire