20 Royals Who Gave Up Their Titles, Ranked

Grand Duke Jean led Luxembourg through 36 years of postwar economic transformation before voluntarily abdicating in 2000. He transferred all constitutional powers and royal duties to his eldest son, Grand Duke Henri.

When King Olav V's daughter married Olympic sailor and commoner Johan Martin Ferner in 1961, she forfeited her Royal Highness designation. She continued supporting Norwegian public charities as Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner.

Under the strict terms of Japan's Imperial Household Law, female royals forfeit their royal status upon marrying outside the aristocracy. Princess Noriko gave up her rank to marry Shinto priest Kunimaro Senge at Izumo Taisha shrine.

Prince Lennart caused a major royal stir in Sweden when he chose to marry commoner Karin Nissvandt against King Gustaf V's royal consent. He lost his princely titles and succession rights, eventually reinventing himself as Count of Wisborg.

The second son of King Gustaf VI Adolf lost his prince title after marrying German commoner Erica Patzek in London without palace approval. Stripped of his royal privileges, he built an international career as a celebrated industrial designer.

Born Princess Patricia of Connaught, Queen Victoria's granddaughter shocked society by voluntarily surrendering her Royal Highness style upon marrying naval officer Alexander Ramsay. She chose to be known simply as Lady Patricia Ramsay.

The only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko was known as Princess Nori before marrying urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda in 2005. She left the Imperial Palace, changed her name, and took up life as an ornithologist in Tokyo.

Princess Irene created an international crisis when she converted to Catholicism and married Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma without parliamentary approval. Dutch law automatically removed her from the line of succession and royal house.

In January 2023, Queen Margrethe II streamlined the Danish monarchy by removing prince and princess titles from her four grandchildren through Prince Joachim. Prince Nikolai transitioned to Count of Monpezat and pursues a high-fashion modeling career.

After resisting fascist forces and leading a royal coup during World War II, King Michael was held at gunpoint by Soviet-backed communists in December 1947. He signed an abdication decree under threat of mass executions and lived in exile for decades.

As the eldest son of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria, Otto von Habsburg was heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1961, he formally renounced all dynastic sovereign claims so he could return from exile as a loyal Austrian citizen and European parliamentarian.

Queen Margrethe II stunned Denmark during her live New Year's address by announcing her abdication after 52 years on the throne. On January 14, 2024, she signed the declaration of abdication, passing the crown to King Frederik X.

The eldest child of King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave up her Royal Highness style upon marrying American Peter Ladd Jensen while studying at MIT. After decades living as a private citizen in California, she returned to Thailand and launched anti-drug youth foundations.

Born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, he had to legally renounce his foreign royal titles and place in foreign royal lines before marrying Princess Elizabeth in 1947. He adopted his maternal grandparents' British surname Mountbatten and became a naturalized British subject.

Following international legal fallout and public backlash surrounding his personal connections, Buckingham Palace announced in January 2022 that Prince Andrew returned his military affiliations and royal patronages. He agreed to cease using the style His Royal Highness in any official capacity.

King Harald V's daughter stepped back from all official royal patronages and agreed not to use her royal title in commercial projects. Her decision allowed her to pursue alternative wellness businesses alongside her husband, American shaman Durek Verrett.

Princess Mako relinquished her imperial rank and made royal history by declining a traditional government dowry worth roughly $1.3 million. She married university classmate Kei Komuro and moved to New York City to start life as a private museum curator.

Following their historic January 2020 announcement to step back from senior British royal duties, Meghan and Harry agreed to give up active use of their HRH titles. They surrendered official public funding and relocated to California to build independent media ventures.

King Charles III's younger son stepped away from senior royal life during the Sandringham summit in early 2020. Prince Harry agreed to stop using His Royal Highness styling and returned honorary military roles, including Captain General Royal Marines.

Less than a year into his reign, King Edward VIII signed the Instrument of Abdication on December 10, 1936, to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. His unprecedented decision to surrender the British crown led to his creation as Duke of Windsor and a lifetime in exile.