Piers Morgan calls for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to be stripped of titles after plea for ‘change’ in US election

‘They can’t remain as royals and spout off about foreign election’, says TV host

Piers Morgan has called for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to be stripped of their royal titles after Meghan weighed in on the upcoming US election.

On Thursday, the duchess appeared as a special guest at the online “When All Women Vote” event to encourage more people to vote.

During her appearance, Meghan said those who don’t cast their votes in the election are “complicit” and, while she did not endorse a specific candidate, she said: “We all know what’s at stake this year”.

“We vote to honour those who came before us and to protect those that come after us … that's what community is all about and that's specifically what this election is all about,” Meghan explained.

“You’re just as mobilised and energised to see the change we all need and deserve. This fight is worth fighting and we all need to be out there mobilising to have our voices heard.”

She continued: “If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem. If you are complacent, you are complicit.

“We can make a difference in this election and we will make a difference in this election.”

While UK law does not ban royalty from voting, it is considered unconstitutional for them to do so and the Queen is politically neutral.

Because of this, Morgan saw Meghan’s comments regarding the US election as a breach in royal protocol, and called for the duke and duchess to be stripped of their royal titles.

“The Queen must strip the Sussexes of their titles,” he wrote on Twitter on Friday evening.

“They can’t remain as royals and spout off about foreign elections in such a brazenly partisan way.”

When one person pointed out that Meghan is American and agreed not to use the title Royal Highness, Morgan responded: “Last time I checked she’s still calling herself the Duchess of Sussex.”

He later added: “She can do what she likes, she just can’t make politically partisan statements while remaining Duchess of Sussex.

“The royals are not allowed to do that. If Meghan and Harry truly want ‘freedom’ from royal duty and rules, they should stop trading off their royal titles.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit their roles as a senior working royals in March and now live in the US with their son Archie, although they still remain members of the royal family.

Speaking to The 19th online news site last week, Meghan encouraged Americans to register to vote and remarked about Harry: “My husband, for example. He’s never been able to vote, and I think it’s such an interesting thing to say that the right to vote is not a privilege, it’s a right in and of itself.”

Earlier this year, Morgan admitted his criticisms of Meghan on Good Morning Britain and from his social media account had gone “too far”.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the presenter addressed his controversial outbursts against the duchess, saying: “I think that’s a perfectly fair criticism. It’s probably not wise, if you’re a columnist, to make things too personal.

“Have I taken things a bit too far? Probably. Do I think that will govern and temper how I talk about them going forward? Absolutely.”

The Independent has contacted a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.