Meghan Markle, 36, is the LA-born actress who will marry Prince Harry, 33, in a few months time.
The stunning Suits star has been embracing her new life, moving to Kensington Palace and joining Prince Harry on official visits to Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, London, Nottingham and Birmingham.
She joined the Royal Family, including the Queen, 91, and Prince Philip, for Christmas last year and an insider revealed to Express.co.uk how Meghan won over Prince Philip, 96.
When she marries the fifth-in-line to the throne she will be a fully paid up member of the British royal family, but will she even be British?
Royal watchers have questioned whether Meghan Markle will have UK citizenship, still be American, or have dual citizenship.
Royal expert Kelly Lynch and managing editor of Daily Break told Express.co.uk: “I do believe that Meghan will be entitled to retain her US passport and apply for dual citizenship.”
Harry’s communications secretary has spoken about Meghan’s immigration status, and said she would be “compliant with immigration requirements at all times”.
He continued: “I can also say she intends to become a UK citizen and will go through the process of that, which some of you may know takes a number of years.”
Meghan could hold to her US nationality if she wished with dual citizenship.
The 36-year-old forged a successful career in the States, and was raised in Hollywood by her American parents. She may therefore feel the desire to hang on to her American roots.
The British government said: “Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. This means you can be a British citizen and also a citizen of other countries.
“You don’t need to apply for dual citizenship. You can apply for foreign citizenship and keep your British citizenship.”
Even marrying a royal won’t automatically make Meghan British.
The government added: “You don’t automatically become a British citizen when you marry a person from the UK. You need to apply as the spouse of a British citizen.”
If Meghan holds on to her American citizenship her children will be entitled to dual citizenship – a first for the UK monarchy.
This could be a big boon to international relations, as well as being preferable for Meghan – as a mother it would be mean she could take her children abroad to visit family easily.
Kelly Lynch added: “Since this is the first time an American is marrying into the royal family (we can’t count the Duchess of Windsor because she was shunned) I leave that up to both countries’ governments to decide this!”
One of Meghan Markle’s parents will receive a coat of arms when she marries the prince.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 36, also had a coat of arms created for her father before she married Prince William, 35.
It is the father of the person marrying into the royal family who gets a coat arms, an old fashioned practise some might think seems rather sexist.
