Meghan Markle will soon be a royal herself when she marries Prince Harry, 33.
The 36-year-old actress is likely to be made a Duchess, as most expect her husband-to-be will be made Duke of Sussex when he marries.
It was recently revealed that the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two, are actually commoners.
This is because they are not peers of the realm. Royal expert Marlene Koenig told Town & Country: “It sounds complicated, but in the UK, the only people who are not commoners are the Sovereign and peers of the realm, [people with titles like] Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron.”
Would this make a Duchess Meghan a higher ranking royal than the children of the second-in-line to the British throne?
Not according to royal expert and managing editor of Daily Break Kelly Lynch, who told Express.co.uk: “As far as I know, Meghan will be considered a commoner like Prince George and Princess Charlotte even when she becomes HRH because she’s not a peer of the realm either.”
It is not rare for a member of the royal family to be ’a commoner’.
Prince Harry is still a commoner, as he does not have a peerage. Being called HRH is not enough to make you officially not a commoner.
The difference is that being a peer of the realm is a different legal status.
However, a commoner can have higher status that a peer. It is definitely confusing, but Prince Harry still outranks all peers, as he is the grandson of the monarch.
When he is given a peerage on his wedding day is expected, he will no longer be a common as he will be a peer.
As Duchess Meghan, the former-Suits actress will be a peer, but this will have nothing to do with her ranking.
Kelly added: “Long story short, there will never be a time when Meghan outranks her soon-to-be nephew and niece.”
What legal privileges really come with being peer? It certainly used to be a very fortunate position.
Historically there were tried by other peers, were free from arrest in cicil cases and had the ear of the sovereign to advise them in legal matters.
However, the former was abolished in 1948, and the freedom from arrest rule is considered pretty limited it terms of its actual application.
Meghan Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry will take place on May 19.
The actress and the Prince recently invited their first member of the public to their wedding.
An accomplished young woman has done a huge amount of charity work for survivors of domestic abuse.
In an announcement made by her school, St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena, on Twitter it was said: “What a week it has been for Daniella! Not only was she named Top Youth Volunteer 2018, she has also received an invitation to the royal wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle as a result of her extensive charity work!”
