Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped back as senior royals of the British royal family – meet 6 other princesses who renounced their titles

Oct 15 , 2020

Princesses who have renounced their royal titles include Princess Sayako of Japan, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom and Princess Ubolratana of Thailand. Photo: @royalworldthailand @theroyalfamily @princessubolratana/Instagram

The daughter of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne, Princess Miriam of Bulgaria and Princess Cristina of Spain are just a handful of royals who renounced their titles for love, career success, and a host of other reasons

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shocked the world when they renounced their HRH titles, announcing in January that they would be stepping back as senior royals, no longer formally representing the queen or receiving public funds for royal duties.

Being a member of the royal family might sound like a real-life fairy tale, but it also carries heavy civic obligations, expectations and responsibilities. For example, the British royal family carries out 2,000 official engagements every year throughout the UK and the rest of the world. However, that sense of mandate definitely comes with privilege, perks and a luxurious lifestyle.

But even with a massive family fortune and the support of taxpayers, why do some royals opt to give up their status? Read on for our list of six princesses who dropped their titles and traded their tiaras for love, career success and privacy.

Princess Miriam, Bulgaria

Princess Miriam of Bulgaria. Photo: @miriamdeungria/Instagram

Princess Miriam married the late Prince Kardam of Bulgaria in 1996. However, she refused to use her husband’s title in the context of her jewellery career, and she revealed to Insider that dropping her maiden name felt like “throwing away so many years of work”. Before she entered into the royal picture, she was already an established jewellery designer and appraiser, having launched her first collection in 1991 and her own jewellery brand, Mdeu, in 2014.

Princess Ubolratana, Thailand

Princess Ubolratana of Thailand. Photo: @princessubolratana/Instagram

The Thai princess relinquished her title in 1972 when she married Peter Jensen, an American who she met while studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She resided in the US with her husband until their divorce in 1998, after which she returned to Thailand and resumed her duties and position at court.

Last year, she was nominated by the Thai Raksa Chart Party as a candidate for prime minister, breaking the long-standing tradition of Thai royalty staying out of politics. Although ultimately disqualified, she made history as the first member of the royal family to run for public office.

Princess Anne, United Kingdom