Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could face renewed scrutiny over their royal titles if Prince William eventually becomes King, with commentator Mark Dolan predicting the Sussexes would 'weaponise' any attempt to remove them. The remarks, made on the Daily Expresso podcast, reflect Dolan's personal view rather than any confirmed palace plan.
The comments come after King Charles III reaffirmed the Sussexes' status following their return to the UK in August. In a letter issued by the Lord Chamberlain on 7 September on the King's behalf, Harry and Meghan were described as no longer working members of the Royal Family and their position was described as 'akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.'
The letter also said there had been 'no change to the current status' of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and reiterated that they would continue not to use the styles His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness.
Mark Dolan Predicts Harry and Meghan Could 'Weaponise' Title Removal
Dolan told host JJ Anisiobi that he did not expect King Charles to remove Harry and Meghan's titles himself. 'I don't think Charles will strip the titles,' Dolan said. 'I think William will, and it's going to be ugly.'
Dolan went on to claim that 'Harry and Meghan will weaponise any attempts to strip them of their titles.' He also argued that their continued use of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles allows them to 'pretend to be royal.'
Those remarks are Dolan's commentary and do not establish that Prince William has a confirmed plan to remove the Sussexes' titles.
Reports Claim William Has Pressed Charles Over Sussex Titles
Separate reports have claimed that Prince William has urged King Charles to consider removing Harry and Meghan's titles.
It was reported that William was 'instrumental' in the decision to issue the September letter and that he would continue pressing the King over the Sussexes' titles.
However, there has been no public confirmation from Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace that William personally ordered, authored or drove the Lord Chamberlain's letter.
The confirmed position is that King Charles authorised the clarification, which reaffirmed that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the Royal Family.
The distinction between the Sussexes' royal styles and their peerage titles is also important. The September letter reiterated that Harry and Meghan would continue not to use the HRH styles, but it did not remove the Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.
The legal process surrounding peerages is more complicated than the commentary suggests. A House of Lords Library briefing published in November 2025 said that a peerage can only be removed by an Act of Parliament, while a House of Commons Library briefing explained that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's 2025 removal from the Roll of the Peerage did not itself extinguish his peerage.
For now, there is no confirmed decision to remove Harry or Meghan's Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. Dolan's prediction that William could take such action if he becomes King therefore remains speculative, as does his prediction about how the Sussexes would respond.
