# Could Harry and Meghan's daughter become Duchess of Sussex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472 "2018-05-19T20:05:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/41 "2018-10-16T13:28:30Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Yes, she _can_. For that matter, even if Harry doesn’t die, the monarch could confer a title on Harry’s daughter. > > But there is no expectation that she will do either of these things. I don’t think the Queen will name a 2nd person Duchess/Duke of Sussex while there is a current incumbent. Harry could cede the title to make it available but for a title at that level It’s Just Not Done. Harry would have to get a higher title, which is sort of difficult, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/42 "2018-10-16T16:12:05Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I don’t think the Queen will name a 2nd person Duchess/Duke of Sussex while there is a current incumbent. Harry could cede the title to make it available but for a title at that level It’s Just Not Done. Harry would have to get a higher title, which is sort of difficult, etc. Yes, only King trumps Duke. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/43 "2018-10-16T17:56:30Z")
King also beat Riggs. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/44 "2018-10-16T18:42:10Z")
Something the Court could not do. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/45 "2018-10-16T21:22:56Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Thinking outside the box. H&M’s bun in the oven turns out to be a female. Harry dies off at some point leaving the Duchy vacant. The then current King/Queen makes this daughter Duchess of Sussex. > > So sure she can. Well, isn’t without precedent: Lady Jane Grey’s father, [Henry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Grey,_1st_Duke_of_Suffolk), was given the title of Duke of Suffolk by Edward VI, due to the fact that his [wife](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Grey,_Duchess_of_Suffolk)’s brothers had died in childhood. That, however, was Tudor England, so it’s very, very unlikely to happen this time around. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/46 "2018-10-16T23:53:59Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I don’t think the Queen will name a 2nd person Duchess/Duke of Sussex while there is a current incumbent. Harry could cede the title to make it available but for a title at that level It’s Just Not Done. Harry would have to get a higher title, which is sort of difficult, etc. She could name her Duchess of somewhere else, though. But she certainly won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/47 "2018-10-23T22:20:06Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Or they could go the route of Edward and Sophie and ask that the children _never_ be HRHs. There’s been a rumor for a while that Charles will eventually change it to children of the monarch and children of direct heirs only. If I understand correctly, the style of “HRH” is a separate honor and style, additional to any other substantive or courtesy title, although I’m not sure if it’s possible for anyone to be an HRH withouthaving some other title. Edward and Sophie’s children James and Louise, by default, carry the courtesy titles customary for the children of an Earl, Viscount and Lady Firstname respectively. If further daughters come they will also be Lady Firstname, but any further sons would be mere Honourables. Had Edward been granted a higher title than Earl, then any younger sons would be Lord Firstname. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/48 "2018-10-24T00:46:15Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > If I understand correctly, the style of “HRH” is a separate honor and style, additional to any other substantive or courtesy title, although I’m not sure if it’s possible for anyone to be an HRH withouthaving some other title. Edward and Sophie’s children James and Louise, by default, carry the courtesy titles customary for the children of an Earl, Viscount and Lady Firstname respectively. If further daughters come they will also be Lady Firstname, but any further sons would be mere Honourables. Had Edward been granted a higher title than Earl, then any younger sons would be Lord Firstname. Nitpick: Edward’s son James is not Viscount James; he’s Viscount Severn. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/49 "2018-10-24T00:56:19Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > If further daughters come they will also be Lady Firstname, but any further sons would be mere Honourables. Had Edward been granted a higher title than Earl, then any younger sons would be Lord Firstname. AFAIK other sons would be Lord Firstname, even with Edward only having an earldom, as the children of princes are treated as the children of dukes (all as younger sons if male) even if their father has no peerage at all. For example, Prince Michael of Kent’s son is styled Lord Frederick Windsor. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/50 "2018-10-24T02:04:18Z")
As an aside, how old is the rule that life peers can only be barons? I distinctly recall the obituary of some Labour figure, a dyed in the wool union man and socialist, who was created _Earl_ of [working class place he grew up]. The Economist noted (maliciously?) that he was thrilled with the honor, or should I say honour. I want to say this was about 10 years ago, so he might have been made a peer quite some time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/51 "2018-10-24T02:21:07Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > As an aside, how old is the rule that life peers can only be barons? That’s all that’s ever been allowed under the Life Peerages Act (1958), or as Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (judges who got to sit in the House of Lords before the courts were changed around) before that. Someone who was given an earldom would have had a hereditary one. A life peerage could be created in a higher degree, but (AFAIK) it wouldn’t entitle the holder to sit in the House of Lords (that’s why new laws had to be made allowing it). There were a handful given out a long time ago, mostly to women I believe, since the lack of a seat in Parliament didn’t matter as women were prohibited from the House of Lords. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472/52 "2018-10-24T02:27:23Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > That’s all that’s ever been allowed under the Life Peerages Act (1958), or as Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (judges who got to sit in the House of Lords before the courts were changed around) before that. Someone who was given an earldom would have had a hereditary one. > > A life peerage could be created in a higher degree, but (AFAIK) it wouldn’t entitle the holder to sit in the House of Lords (that’s why new laws had to be made allowing it). There were a handful given out a long time ago, mostly to women I believe, since the lack of a seat in Parliament didn’t matter as women were prohibited from the House of Lords. Thanks, my memory no doubt failed me on the title as it did on the name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-harry-and-meghans-daughter-become-duchess-of-sussex/814472.md?page=2)