Fitzwilliams then contrasted Anne’s minimalist approach to titles with Meghan Markle’s, noting ongoing criticism of the Duchess of Sussex for continuing to use her HRH styling on personal gift cards for her brand, As Ever.
A Renewed Debate Over Titles
Princess Anne has held the title of Princess Royal since 1987, a lifelong honour granted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Meghan, however, agreed with the late Queen to stop using her HRH title after stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Despite that, gift tags reportedly bearing “HRH The Duchess of Sussex” recently resurfaced.
Fitzwilliams described the move as “the wrong way round” and “ridiculously pretentious,” especially when contrasted with Anne’s understated signature.
He also pointed to a recent Harper’s Bazaar anecdote, in which writer Kaitlyn Greenidge revealed that Meghan is still formally announced when entering a room—even if only one other person is present.
“When I enter, the house manager announces, ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,’ even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house,” Greenidge wrote.