King Charles Prepares Sweeping Reforms, Putting Titles of Harry, Meghan and Their Children at Risk

Proposed changes could strip royal status from non-working members of the monarchy, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 4:55pm

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According to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, King Charles is planning to accelerate reforms that would modernize the British monarchy, increase financial transparency, and potentially remove titles from any member of the royal family who is no longer an active working royal. This could impact Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and even their children Archie and Lilibet, who may lose their royal titles entirely under the proposed changes.

Why it matters

The ongoing legal issues surrounding Prince Andrew appear to have forced the palace's hand, pushing Charles to act on reforms he may have hoped to delay until William's reign. The public desire for more obvious change in the monarchy has also hastened these reforms, which aim to draw a clear line between working and non-working members of the royal family.

The details

According to Lownie, the proposed reforms would increase transparency around the monarchy's records and finances, and remove titles from any royals who are not actively serving. This would address both the 'Andrew problem' as well as the 'Harry problem' in one sweeping move. For the Sussexes, this could mean not only losing their own titles, but also those of their children Archie and Lilibet.

  • King Charles is preparing to accelerate these reforms in the near future.
  • The reforms may have been hastened by the ongoing legal issues surrounding Prince Andrew.

The players

King Charles III

The current monarch of the United Kingdom, who is planning to implement sweeping reforms to modernize the British monarchy.

Prince Harry

The Duke of Sussex, who along with his wife Meghan Markle, could lose their royal titles under the proposed reforms.

Meghan Markle

The Duchess of Sussex, who along with her husband Prince Harry, could lose their royal titles under the proposed reforms.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

The son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who may also lose his royal title under the proposed reforms.

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor

The daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who may also lose her royal title under the proposed reforms.

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What they’re saying

“I think we are going to see some reforms being announced. More transparency about records and finances, and I think we may well see some moves to remove titles from anyone who isn't in an active working role. So, I think they're going to deal with the Andrew and Harry problem at the same time.”

— Andrew Lownie, Royal biographer

“It's very hard to justify royal security paid for by the taxpayer when you're no longer a working royal, and when many of the working royals don't have proper security, and when you have plenty of money that you could fund your own security, and where you're traveling to countries far more dangerous than Britain without getting security paid for by the British. I think he's on a sticky wicket.”

— Andrew Lownie, Royal biographer

What’s next

The specific details and timeline of King Charles' proposed reforms have not been announced, but royal watchers expect them to be revealed in the coming months.

The takeaway

The British monarchy is facing its most significant restructuring in decades, as King Charles seeks to modernize the institution, increase transparency, and draw a clear line between working and non-working members of the royal family. This could have profound implications for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children, who may lose their royal titles and taxpayer-funded security under the proposed changes.