01of 11Princess Märtha LouiseShaman Durek/InstagramIn 2019, the Norwegian royalagreed to stop using her Princess designation “for her business activities”(but retained it while working in her official capacity as a royal) after the Norwegian Royal Family objected to the title of her “Princess and the Shaman” speaking tour with her American fiancé, “spiritual guide and gifted healer” Shaman Durek (a.k.a. Durek Verrett).In 2022,she went a step farther, relinquishing all her royal patronages and stepping back from serving in a working role as a royal, in order “to create a clearer dividing line between her business activities and her role as a member of the Royal Family.”
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Princess Märtha Louise
Shaman Durek/Instagram
In 2019, the Norwegian royalagreed to stop using her Princess designation “for her business activities”(but retained it while working in her official capacity as a royal) after the Norwegian Royal Family objected to the title of her “Princess and the Shaman” speaking tour with her American fiancé, “spiritual guide and gifted healer” Shaman Durek (a.k.a. Durek Verrett).
In 2022,she went a step farther, relinquishing all her royal patronages and stepping back from serving in a working role as a royal, in order “to create a clearer dividing line between her business activities and her role as a member of the Royal Family.”
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Princess Mako
Kei Komuro and Princess Mako.SIPA Press/Nicolas Datiche/Pool/Anadolu Agency via Getty
Mako, a niece of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito (and whose brother is the likely next ruler of Japan),married her longtime love Kei Komuro in a simple ceremony at a registry officeon Oct. 26. In marrying Komuro, who is not of royal descent, she gives up her royal title and everything that comes with it.
“I am very sorry for the inconvenience caused and I am grateful for those … who have continued to support me,” she said at her wedding, according to theBBC. “For me, Kei is irreplaceable — marriage was a necessary choice for us.”
03of 11Prince Harry & Meghan MarkleChris Jackson/GettyWiththe shocking announcementthat the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to “step back as senior members of the [British] Royal Family,” take a look at other royals who have stepped away from their duties, given up their titles or abdicated the throne altogether.
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Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
Chris Jackson/Getty
Withthe shocking announcementthat the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to “step back as senior members of the [British] Royal Family,” take a look at other royals who have stepped away from their duties, given up their titles or abdicated the throne altogether.
04of 11The Duke & Duchess of WindsorFox Photos/Getty ImagesKing Edward VIIIfamously abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, paving the way for his younger brother (Queen ElizabethII’s father) to become king. But historian Robert Lacey says there is no real parallel between that historical event and Meghan and Harry’s recent decision.“If [he] had not resigned [he] would have been expelled in any case,“Lacey tells PEOPLE. “He would not have been sanctified as King.”
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The Duke & Duchess of Windsor
Fox Photos/Getty Images
King Edward VIIIfamously abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, paving the way for his younger brother (Queen ElizabethII’s father) to become king. But historian Robert Lacey says there is no real parallel between that historical event and Meghan and Harry’s recent decision.
“If [he] had not resigned [he] would have been expelled in any case,“Lacey tells PEOPLE. “He would not have been sanctified as King.”
05of 11Prince AndrewPrince Andrew at Royal Ascot.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/GettyPrince Andrew announced his decision to “step back from royal duties” in November 2019 in the wake of backlash to hisinterviewsurrounding his relationship with disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,“he said in a statement. “Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”
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Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew at Royal Ascot.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty
Prince Andrew announced his decision to “step back from royal duties” in November 2019 in the wake of backlash to hisinterviewsurrounding his relationship with disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,“he said in a statement. “Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”
06of 11Diana, Princess of WalesAntony Jones/UK Press via GettyUpon divorcingPrince Charlesin 1996,the former future Queen lost the official designation of “Her Royal Highness,“meaning that much of the former royal protocol she once enjoyed no longer applied.She did, however, retain an allowance, her apartment at Kensington Palace and the ability to use St. James' Palace to entertain, as well as certain royal privileges (like the use of the aircraft of the royal squadron), so all was not lost.
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Diana, Princess of Wales
Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty
Upon divorcingPrince Charlesin 1996,the former future Queen lost the official designation of “Her Royal Highness,“meaning that much of the former royal protocol she once enjoyed no longer applied.
She did, however, retain an allowance, her apartment at Kensington Palace and the ability to use St. James' Palace to entertain, as well as certain royal privileges (like the use of the aircraft of the royal squadron), so all was not lost.
07of 11Prince PhilipHulton Archive/GettyTo become Duke of Edinburgh (and more importantly, to marry the future Queen of England),Prince Philiphad to renounce his Danish and Greek royal titles and become a naturalized British subject, adopting his maternal grandparents' last name of Mountbatten.
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Prince Philip
Hulton Archive/Getty
To become Duke of Edinburgh (and more importantly, to marry the future Queen of England),Prince Philiphad to renounce his Danish and Greek royal titles and become a naturalized British subject, adopting his maternal grandparents' last name of Mountbatten.
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Princess Anne’s Children, Peter & Zara Phillips
Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images
However, Anne and her then-husband Mark Phillips declined, stating they wanted their children to have as normal lives as possible. In recent years,Zara has said she felt “lucky” not to have a title, as it allowed her more freedom than her cousins William and Harry.
09of 11The Swedish Royal GrandchildrenKungahuset/FacebookAs of August 2019, the five grandchildren of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden (pictured with their family in 2017) are no longer members of the Swedish Royal House after their grandfather removed their titles of Their Royal Highnesses.All will retain their titles of Prince and Princess, but these titles will become personal and any future spouses or children will not have a right to them. The purpose of the revocation was to cut back on the royal duties the children would be expected to perform.
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The Swedish Royal Grandchildren
Kungahuset/Facebook
As of August 2019, the five grandchildren of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden (pictured with their family in 2017) are no longer members of the Swedish Royal House after their grandfather removed their titles of Their Royal Highnesses.
All will retain their titles of Prince and Princess, but these titles will become personal and any future spouses or children will not have a right to them. The purpose of the revocation was to cut back on the royal duties the children would be expected to perform.
10of 11Princess AyakoJIJI PRESS/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockIn 2018, the daughter of the late Prince Takamodo (a cousin of the current emperor) wed a shipping executive,and in doing so gave up her Princess title, becoming Ayako Moriya.“How happy I am that so many people have celebrated [our wedding]. We want to make efforts to become a couple like my mother and father,“she said at the time, adding that her father would have “rejoiced at my marriage.”
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Princess Ayako
JIJI PRESS/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
In 2018, the daughter of the late Prince Takamodo (a cousin of the current emperor) wed a shipping executive,and in doing so gave up her Princess title, becoming Ayako Moriya.
“How happy I am that so many people have celebrated [our wedding]. We want to make efforts to become a couple like my mother and father,“she said at the time, adding that her father would have “rejoiced at my marriage.”
11of 11Prince Michael of KentJohn Downing/Getty ImagesTo marry Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, a Catholic, the Queen’s cousin had to forfeit his 15th place in the line of succession due to the Act of Settlement 1701.However, he was reinstated in 2015 after the passage of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, and his children remain in the line of succession.
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Prince Michael of Kent
John Downing/Getty Images
To marry Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, a Catholic, the Queen’s cousin had to forfeit his 15th place in the line of succession due to the Act of Settlement 1701.
However, he was reinstated in 2015 after the passage of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, and his children remain in the line of succession.
source: people.com
