Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Whistler, Canada(Image: (Image: Getty))

Meghan Markle's three-word demand for how she should be addressed as Harry makes U-turn

by · NottinghamshireLive

Scott Moore, the newly appointed CEO of Prince Harry's Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, has revealed the guidance he received on how to address Meghan Markle. The advice was a departure from the traditional form of address for a former senior Royal.

As reported in Richard Eden's column for the Daily Mail, Moore said: "I did make sure to ask how I should be addressing them when they get here."

He was told that a simple "'Ma'am' is fine.' He was also told a simple 'Sir' was fine to address the Duke of Sussex."

Traditionally, male members of the Royal Family are first addressed as 'Your Royal Highness', followed by 'Sir', while female members are referred to as 'Your Royal Highness', and then 'Ma'am'. However, following Harry and Meghan's decision to step back as senior working royals in 2020, they were stripped of their HRH titles.

This means they cannot be addressed as Your Royal Highness, but they can retain their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. The decision for Prince Harry to be addressed with formal titles such as Sir and 'Ma'am' for Meghan Markle is a sharp contrast from his earlier stance in 2020, reports Gloucestershire Live.

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - AUGUST 15: Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the 'Responsible Digital Future' forum at EAN University in Bogota, Colombia on August 15, 2024. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle land in Colombia to join Marquez in discussions with women and youth on combating discrimination and cyberbullying. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

At that time, during a tourism conference in Edinburgh, Harry famously insisted on informality. Ayesha Hazarika, the event host, revealed: "He's made it clear that we are all just to call him Harry."

As the Invictus Games preparations are underway, all eyes are once again on the Sussexes. Earlier this year, during their visit to Vancouver, Canada for the event, the Invictus CEO asked how they would like to be addressed.

It was in February 2024 when Harry and Meghan interacted with competitors at Whistler Backcomb ski resort ahead of the 2025 games. These upcoming games, featuring winter sports such as alpine skiing and snowboarding for the first time, will host around 550 competitors from up to 25 nations.

In other news, there's been a significant development concerning their children. According to the updated Sussex.com website, King Charles's coronation marked a new chapter for the Sussex children.

Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, have now adopted 'Sussex' as their surname instead of Mountbatten-Windsor, breaking away from a Royal tradition that dates back to 1960. This was when the Queen established the precedent for her male-line descendants to carry the Mountbatten-Windsor surname, following advice from her advisors.