A conservative member of U.K.’s Parliament promised to introduce a bill that would strip Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their royal titles.
Bob Seely blamed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the latest royal racism controversy following the publication of “Endgame” by Omid Scobie. The Dutch version of the royal tell-all was recently pulled from shelves in Holland after reports surfaced claiming the copy identified the name of an allegedly racist royal.
The publisher previously noted that “Endgame” is based on conversations and interviews “with current and former palace staff, trusted friends of the royals and even family members themselves.”
MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY AT RISK OF HAVING ROYAL TITLES CHALLENGED BY PARLIAMENT LEADER, EXPERT CLAIMS
U.K. lawmaker Bob Seely has been adamant about introducing a bill that would strip Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their royal titles. (Getty Images/Members.Parliament.UK)
Seely wrote in The Mail on Sunday that he would present a bill in “the next couple of weeks.” Seely didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“I’m not a republican and support the monarchy, but after the latest installment of the couple’s feud with the rest of the royal family, I believe that Parliament and the Privy Council should consider a nuclear option,” Seely wrote. “The Duke and Duchess can be Mr. and Mrs. like the rest of us.”
“My aim is simple: if someone doesn’t want to be royal, that is a decision we respect – but they should not keep the titles and privileges if they trash an institution that plays an important part in our nation’s life.”
Omid Scobie’s new book, “Endgame,” has reignited questions about alleged racism within the British royal family. (Henry Nicholls/AFP)
“Sources close to the Sussexes have stressed that Harry and Meghan are not behind claims made in Omid Scobie’s book. But I suspect that few people believe such denials,” Seely added.
One of the controversial topics addressed in the new book by Scobie – who some say serves as an unofficial spokesman for Markle – are claims that there were racist comments made by members of the royal family leading up to the birth of the couple’s son Prince Archie.
According to the couple, a senior member of the royal family questioned how dark Archie’s skin would be. In an interview with “Good Morning America,” Scobie said it was two royals who raised questions about Archie’s skin tone, but U.K. laws prevented him from revealing their names in his book.
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Author Omid Scobie has been described as a “mouthpiece” for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by the British press. (Sam Barnes/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images)
However, Dutch royal journalist Rick Evers told ITV’s “Good Morning Britain” the version he read gave a “very specific” name for the royal in question and was “a little bit vague” about a second royal who echoed the concerns. The book was pulled from shelves in Holland on Tuesday, Fox News Digital confirmed.
This isn’t the first time Seely has been adamant about having the couple’s royal titles stripped. Following the couple’s release of their six-part Netflix docuseries in late 2022, Seely announced he would be introducing his bill. He argued that Harry, in particular, was attacking important British institutions “as well as trashing his family and monetizing his misery for public consumption.”
Jonathan Sacerdoti, a British broadcaster and royal commentator, told Fox News Digital that Seely believed the pair “are embarrassing themselves.”
Bob Seely’s proposal first came to light following the release of Netflix’s six-part docuseries “Harry & Meghan.” (Netflix)
“When I spoke with Bob Seely about his plans… he told me he found the situation a bit sad,” Sacerdoti explained. “He was clear that his actions were about supporting a constitutional monarchy, which has been brought into disrepute. He felt that if Harry had any self-respect, he would renounce his title. The monarchy is meant to be dignified. It’s the dignified bit of our constitution.”
According to Sacerdoti, Seely told him earlier this year that if Harry hated being a royal so much he should “do us all a favor” and renounce his title, noting, “We’ll call you Mr. and Mrs. Windsor or whatever you want to be called.”
“Bob Seely initially proposed a change to the law to enable their titles to be removed around a year ago,” Sacerdoti explained. “This was when they were last making waves with their allegations against the royal family. He… told me he was specifically trying to target ‘bad royals.’ He is now applying for his Titles Deprivation 1917 Amendment Bill to be listed on the Commons’ Order Paper next week.”
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have stayed silent following the publication of “Endgame” and its allegations. (Reuters/Mike Segar)
“The 1917 Titles Deprivation Act was originally part of King George V’s decision to make the British royal family appear less German and more British,” Sacerdoti continued. “That is why he adopted the name Windsor. He also created a mechanism that allowed German holders of British royal titles and peerages to be deprived of those honors. It was used first in 1919 to deprive three German princes and one Austrian of the British titles they had. These were George’s first cousins and an uncle by marriage.
“Seely’s amendment would give the Privy Council, made up of 741 senior parliamentarians, the power to strip the Sussexes of their titles. He argues that if the duke continues to trash the royal family, he should set an example and give up his title, but if he does not, the law should enable it to be removed anyway. Seely says that the duke’s criticism of the royal family is equivalent to attacking ‘important institutions in this country.’”
Sacerdoti noted that Seely’s determination was fueled by Scobie’s book.
Omid Scobie previously co-wrote the book “Finding Freedom” about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“The feeling among many is that this information could only have come from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and that if it did, they are once again causing trouble for the monarchy,” Sacerdoti added.
Markle, an American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018. In 2020, they stepped back as senior royals and moved to California. At the time, they alleged that palace officials were insensitive to Markle’s mental health struggles as she attempted to navigate royal life. The couple also claimed that the duchess faced racist attitudes from the U.K. press, which contributed to their decision to leave the country.
In 2021, the couple sat down for a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. During the tell-all, Markle revealed there had been “concerns and conversations about how dark [Archie’s] skin might be when he’s born.”
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In a candid interview given to Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan Markle alleged remarks regarding her son Archie’s skin color were made by the inner circle of the royal family. (Harpo Productions)
“About how dark your baby is going to be?” said Winfrey, 69.
“Potentially, and what that would mean or look like,” said Markle, 42. Harry, 39, admitted being “shocked.” He later clarified that the comments weren’t made by his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Seely argued in his piece that with the latest bombshell book, enough is enough.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey was viewed by nearly 50 million people globally. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)
“I feel genuine pity for Harry and the life choices he has made,” Seely wrote. “It can’t have been easy for him. But the couple and their supporters have a track record of attacking the royal family with unproven and incendiary allegations, which they then appear to deny or refuse to back up, which is indefensible.”
“It is time for us all to move on,” he shared. “I believe it is time they dropped their titles – or were made to – and lived by their own talents if they have any to speak of.”
Sacerdoti said that if the bill were to go into effect, it would benefit not only the royal family but the Sussexes. The couple hasn’t responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about Scobie’s book or Seely’s proposal.
SCATHING ROYALS BOOK PULLED OFF SHELF AFTER REPORTS SAY ‘RACIST’ FAMILY MEMBER ACCIDENTALLY REVEALED
ITV’s Tom Bradby asked Prince Harry about the racism claims in January. At the time, the Duke of Sussex was promoting his memoir “Spare.” (Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)
“Harry and Meghan are really seen as a spent force by most people in the U.K.,” said Sacerdoti. “They remain of interest at the level of gossip and controversy because of their royal connections, so removing the titles would seem to be an attempt to deal with that. It also would take at face value their stated desire to step away from the circus of royal scrutiny and interest, so might in a way be seen as helping them do what they seem unwilling to do themselves.”
Meghan Markle, an American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018. The couple now resides in California. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
A representative for Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.