Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should be stripped of all titles with immediate effect, demands Piers Morgan
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle should be stripped of all titles with immediate effect, Piers Morgan has demanded.
The outspoken broadcaster branded the couple "horrendously selfish" after Harry announced he has been secretly writing a book detailing his life - timed for release during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year in 2022.
The Duke of Sussex last night revealed his unprecedented publishing deal with Penguin Random House, blindsiding his family who reportedly had no idea it was being written.
In language bound to cause panic within the Firm, Harry promised to examine the "highs and lows" of his extraordinary life as a royal, which culminated in his bitter Megxit split.
The currently untitled "honest" and "intimate" autobiography is set for release in 2022 - as Her Majesty celebrates 70 years of service.
Writing in his column, Piers described Harry as "shameless" and his timing as "horrendously selfish".
He then called for the prince and his wife Meghan Markle to have all titles taken away from them at once.
Piers wrote: "The memoirs are a slap in the face too far for a family that's surely exhausted all collective patience with the Sussexes.
"I've said this before, and I now say it again: the Queen should strip Harry and Meghan of all their titles with immediate effect.
"Compel them to do this malevolent, manipulative c**p in their names, not as royals."
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The former GMB host went on to accuse Harry of being a "hypocrite" for wanting "all the hugely beneficial trappings of being a royal prince without having to do any of the hard duty graft the rest of his family put in to earn the title".
He added: "He wants to cash in on the royal status to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, whilst simultaneously bleating on about how much he hates being a royal."
Both Meghan and Harry gave up the titles His and Her Royal Highness after Megxit, although Harry is still sixth in line to the throne and remains a prince.
The couple also agreed to stop using the word 'royal' in their commercial and charitable ventures.
But the couple remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - titles given to them as a wedding gift in 2018.
It comes as...
- Prince Charles was ‘surprised’ by Harry’s explosive tell-all memoir as Palace officials had no idea about book
- The duke ‘scrambled to tell his family about memoir “moments” before book news was announced – blindsiding Charles’
- Harry ‘received £14.5m advance for memoir’ and will donate proceeds to charity
- The ‘hugely damaging’ memoir ‘will spark mayhem & deepen royal rift’, say experts
- Queen, Charles and William ‘in despair’ over Harry’s memoir and ‘wonder when rollercoaster will end’, expert says
In his column, Piers accused them of becoming "a pair of petty, spiteful, bitter little grifters intent on causing as much damage as they can".
He added: "Prince Poison has gone toxically rogue, and the royals should have nothing more to do with him or his wife Princess Pinocchio until or if they stop this horribly destructive vituperative rampage against them all."
It follows comments from royal expert Phil Dampier who said the Queen, Charles and William are "in despair" over Harry's memoir announcement.
He told The Sun Online Buckingham Palace has been left "wondering when the rollercoaster will end".
The author also said the duke was being "disrespectful" to Her Majesty by releasing the book next year, when all eyes should be on her.
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Harry is said to be working with Pulitzer Prize-winner J R Moehringer, who has written memoirs for tennis legend Andre Agassi and Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
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A first draft is nearly completed, with a likely publication at the end of 2022.
The duke said he will be donating his profits from the book to charity.
What happened to Harry and Meghan's titles?
The couple were stripped of their honorary titles in February by the Queen after confirming they won't return as working members of the Royal Family.
The monarch said she was "saddened" by the decision.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.
"Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.
"The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
"While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family."
They continue to be known as Duke and Duchess of Sussex after being given the titles as a wedding gift at their 2018 nuptials at Windsor Castle.