Royal Wedding: So Meghan is going to be a Duchess, not a Princess. Here's the difference.

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As reported earlier, Buckingham Palace announced that Meghan and Harry will now formally be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince Henry of Wales.”

“His titles will be Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel. Prince Harry thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, and Ms Meghan Markle on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.”

So Meghan will be a duchess, not a princess. But what’s the difference?

According to Live Science, while a Duchess and a Princess are both royalty, and a Princess technically outranks a Duchess, the relationship between the two titles is not always clearly defined.

Historically speaking, Princesses are the daughters or granddaughters of a King or Queen. Though traditionally, a ‘commoner’ or a woman with no royal rank can still gain the title of Princess by marrying a Prince, with the possibility of later becoming a Queen.

Princess Diana was formally known as the Princess of Wales.

Similarly (but not quite the same), a Duchess is the wife of a Duke. So because Meghan is marrying Prince Harry, who is becoming a Duke, she is in turn a Duchess. Kate Middleton received the same ranking, as her official title is Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.

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