Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Demoted on Royal Website Along With Prince Andrew

Moving down and moving on. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were demoted on the royal family website less than two weeks after Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest. 

As of September 28, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s biographies have been moved down to the bottom of the page, just above Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his military and His Royal Highness (HRH) titles after being accused of sexual assault in 2019. His biography page appears at the very bottom.

Prior to the update, Meghan and Harry were listed before the Queen’s first cousins, including Princess Alexandra and her husband Michael, the Duke of Kent, who are now listed above the couple.

Other members of the royal family also had their pages updated with their new titles, including Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, and wife Princess Kate, now the Princess of Wales. The late Queen – who appeared at the top of the page prior to her death – has been taken off the biography list entirely and was replaced with King Charles III’s page; however, she still has an entire section of the royal family website dedicated to her. 

On September 8, the royal family confirmed via Twitter that the Queen had died at 96 years old. She served Great Britain and its Commonwealth for 70 years.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the statement read.  “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Harry and Meghan first announced their decision to “step back” from the royal family in January 2020. The couple – who wed in May 2018 – moved to California with son Archie and later revealed they were expecting their second baby together, a daughter named Lilibet, whom they welcomed in February 2021.

Shortly after their pregnancy announcement, Buckingham Palace released a statement in which the Archewell founders confirmed they would “not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.”

Though the couple’s relationships with members of the royal family have been strained for years, Harry released a lengthy statement on the Archewell foundation website honoring his grandmother after her death.

“Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren,” the statement read in part. “I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first meetings, we now honour my father in his new role as King Charles III.”