It seemed like the rift between Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and the rest of the Royal Family was healing but a recent move from the monarchy suggests they’re not over it.
Harry and Meghan’s profiles on the royal website have been shifted down the page so they now sit almost in line with Prince Andrew in what some are calling a “major snub”.
The page is assumed to be in order of importance and if you view it on mobile King Charles III and Camila, Queen Consort sit at the top of the page followed by the new Princes and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Edward and Sophie, come next and are followed by hardworking Princess Anne.
There hasn’t been an official announcement about any change to Harry and Meghan’s positions.
(Image: Getty)
Then come the ‘minor’ royals, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, though they are all working royals.
Finally, the Sussexes appear on the page followed by the disgraced Duke of York. Before, Harry and Meghan sat roughly in the middle of the list, closer to Charles, Camilla, William and Kate.
Two other royals, Prince Michael of Kent and his wife, were removed from the page entirely.
Though the change has saprked rumours of new royal tensions, hasn’t been an official announcement about any change to Harry and Meghan’s positions in the royal family.
And when the royal website is viewed on desktop Princess Kate sits at equal billing with King Charles, so one could assume the website’s layout isn’t following a precise royal order.
However, the King is said to be seeking a slimmed down royal family with an emphasis on working royals and ‘demoting’ Harry and Meghan may be in line with his plans.
Royal writer Richard Eden called the change a “new ‘snub’ for Prince Harry and Meghan as they’re demoted on the royal website, to below the 56th in line to the throne” on Twitter.
Some social media users also called for the couple to lose their royal titles, but others defended the Sussexes, saying the website shift meant nothing.
The King is said to be seeking a slimmed down royal family.
(Image: Getty)“This isn’t personal. A distinction needs to be made who actually OFFICIALLY represents the monarchy because there has been a lot of confusion when Harry & Meghan are listed prominently on the royal family’s website,” one wrote.
Harry and Meghan stepped back from public life in 2020 when they relocated to the US and Andrew was forced to step down from senior royal duties over his connection to paedophile Jeffrey Epstien.
Lately there have been rumblings the King might not allow the Sussex’s children, Archie and Lilibet, to be styled as ‘His Royal Highness’ and ‘Her Royal Highness’.
They automatically became a princess and princess after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but while William and Kate were formally awarded their new titles, there has been no announcement regarding Archie and Lilibet.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, New Idea.
