Council receives petition to strip Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their Sussex title

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to be losing their popularity as evidenced by a recent petition to the Brighton and Hove council. Petitioners are asking for the royals to be stripped of their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Campaigner Charles Ross started the petition to get the council to reject the royal titles. In order for a petition to be considered, it needs 1,250 votes minimum, which was easily overshot.

Residents of East Sussex no longer want Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to be associated with the Sussex title. As stated by The Mirror, the campaign had two demands. The first demand is for the council to stop referring to Harry and Markle by their titles. The second states that the local government should not "invite or entertain" the couple. According to the petition, using the titles Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex is "morally wrong and disrespectful to the county of East Sussex." The petition refers to the use of the titles as a symbol of "oppression of the general public."

During the council meeting on October 24, the council will decide whether to reject the royal titles or not. Even though over 1,700 people have signed the petition, there are still some residents who feel that the petition is a waste of the council's time. Liv Seabrook, resident of East Sussex, stated that the council had far more serious topics to discuss. By discussing such a "useless petition," the council will not be addressing any real issues.

In October 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were welcomed by the residents of Chichester, Bognor, Brighton and Peacehaven. However, since then, many residents are no longer pleased with the conduct of the royal couple. Criticism has been ushered in by the allegedly hypocritical activities of the couple as well as speculations on a growing royal family rift.

Even if the petition gets approved, the Sussex title will not be entirely taken away from their names. Since it was Queen Elizabeth II who granted Harry and Meghan the title, it cannot be taken away. Once successfully approved, the petition will only prevent the official use of the titles in the county of East Sussex.