For centuries, royalty has been synonymous with duty, tradition, and power. However, not everyone born into or married into a crown chooses to keep it.
From love stories that defied royal protocol to corruption scandals that shook entire nations, these members of the nobility made the decision to step back, relinquish their titles, or abdicate their thrones.
Some said goodbye quietly to live ordinary lives (though often retaining certain privileges), while others left amid controversy and opposition from their people.
Here are 20 royals who gave up their crowns, titles, or duties, whether by personal choice or forced by circumstances.
#1 Princess Mako (with husband Kei Komuro)
Princess Mako, a niece of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, gave up her royal title in 2021 to marry Kei Komuro.
Mako’s father withheld approval of Mako’s marriage to her longtime boyfriend, who is not of royal descent, resulting in the wedding being postponed for four years.
“For me, Kei is irreplaceable — marriage was a necessary choice for us,” she said at her wedding, after apologizing for the “inconvenience caused” and thanking those who had supported her personal decision.
Mako reportedly rejected the $1.3 million given by the Japanese government to royal women who lose their status through marriage.
“I am sure we will encounter difficulties along the way. But just as we have until now, I want to continue joining forces [with Kei] and walking together side by side,” she said after the ceremony.
The couple, who reside in New York City, welcomed their first child in May 2025. Mako reportedly works as an assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, while her husband is a lawyer.
Image credits: Nicolas Datiche – Pool/Getty Images
#2 Princess Diana
Lady Di lost the official designation of Her Royal Highness upon divorcing then-Prince Charles in 1996 after nearly 15 years of marriage.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said she would be known as Diana, Princess of Wales.
The princess retained an allowance (which, according to The Sun, was of $600,000 a year), her apartment at Kensington Palace, and certain royal privileges, like the use of the aircraft of the royal squadron.
Diana lost her life in a car accident in Paris a year after the divorce in August 1997. She was 36.
Image credits: Tim Graham Photo Library
#3 Prince Philip (with Princess Elizabeth)
Prince Philip had to renounce his Danish and Greek royal titles and become a naturalized British subject in order to marry the future Queen Elizabeth II.
Born in Greece, Philip was a prince of both Greece and Denmark —he was the only son and fifth child of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg— and had been baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church.
Before his wedding to Elizabeth, held in November 1947, he was baptized into the Church of England.
The couple was married for 73 years. Prince Philip passed away at age 99 in 2021. Queen Elizabeth passed the following year at age 96.
Image credits: Bettmann/Getty Images
#4 Queen Margrethe of Denmark
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated in favor of her eldest son, now King Frederik X, attributing her decision to health concerns.
“In two weeks’ time, I have been Queen of Denmark for 52 years. Such an amount will leave its mark on anybody — also on me! The time takes its toll, and the number of ‘ailments’ increases. One cannot undertake as much as one managed in the past,” she said in her speech in 2023.
Queen Margrethe made history as the first woman allowed to inherit the throne in Denmark. At the time of her abdication, she had attained 80% in popularity.
An accomplished painter, Margrethe has worked as an illustrator on the Danish editions of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer.
Image credits: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
#5 Emperor Akihito of Japan
Emperor Akihito stepped down in April 2019 in favor of his eldest son, Emperor Naruhito.
Abdication is very rare in modern Japan. Akihito’s imperial line dates back over 2,600 years, and the last emperor to abdicate before him was Emperor Kōkaku in 1817— more than 200 years earlier.
Akihito chose to pass the throne due to health concerns. He had undergone prostate cancer surgery in 2003 and heart surgery in 2012, and had grown worried that “it may become difficult” for him to “carry out my duties as the symbol of the State.”
Before his abdication, Akihito went to Japan’s Ise Grand Shrine to perform a sacred ceremony called the “Shinetsu no Gi,” which confirms his resignation from the throne to the gods.
Image credits: Jun Sato/Getty Images
#6 Beatrix of the Netherlands (with son King Willem-Alexander)
In a broadcast on national media in January 2013, Beatrix announced her intention to abdicate after being on the Dutch throne for 33 years.
Beatrix explained that it was time to “place the responsibility for the country in the hands of a new generation.” Her heir apparent was her eldest son, Prince Willem-Alexander, now King of the Netherlands.
At the time of her abdication at age 75, she was the oldest reigning monarch in the country’s history.
Beatrix was the third successive Dutch monarch to abdicate, following her grandmother, Wilhelmina, and her mother, Juliana.
Following her abdication, the 87-year-old continues to undertake some royal duties and is a patron of several organizations.
Image credits: Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage
#7 Duke and Duchess Of Windsor
King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne on December 10, 1936, to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson. He was succeeded by his younger brother, George VI.
King Edward reigned for 326 days, making him one of the shortest-reigning British monarchs to date.
Edward made an announcement on the radio the day after his abdication, telling the people, “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.”
After stepping down, Edward was given the title Duke of Windsor by his brother. Simpson received the title of Duchess of Windsor, but she was not given the added Her Royal Highness before it.
According to Brides, nobody in the royal family attended Edward’s wedding to Wallis. The union was deemed unacceptable, given that she was a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands, something that conflicted with the Church of England.
Image credits: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media
#8 Princess Ayako (with husband Kei Moriya)
The youngest daughter of the late Prince Takamado renounced her princess title to marry Kei Moriya, a shipping executive, in 2018, and left the Japanese Imperial Family, as required by law. Ayako also took her husband’s last name.
“How happy I am that so many people have celebrated [our wedding]. We want to make efforts to become a couple like my mother and father,” she said at the time, adding that her father would have “rejoiced at my marriage.”
The former princess is a second cousin of Princess Mako, who also gave up her royal title to marry a commoner.
Ayako and Kei Moriya share three sons and reside in Tokyo. The couple was reportedly introduced by Ayako’s mother, Princess Takamado, who was a friend of Moriya’s parents.
Image credits: Nicolas Datiche/SIPA/Shutterstock
#9 Princess Märtha Louise (with Shaman Durek)
In November 2022, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway stepped back from serving in a working role as a royal and relinquished her royal patronages in order “to create a clearer dividing line between her business activities and her role as a member of the Royal Family,” the palace said in a statement.
Though Märtha Louise is two years older than her brother, he was always destined to inherit the throne, as absolute primogeniture—the right to rule regardless of gender—was not constitutionally adopted in Norway until 1990, and it applies only for those born after 1990.
Märtha Louise is married to Durek Verrett, a spiritual guide. She has three daughters, Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora, and Emma Tallulah, whom she shares with ex-husband Ari Behn.
Image credits: iam_marthalouise
#10 Princess Patricia of Connaught
Princess Patricia of Connaught, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, was well-known for her charitable work and service during World War I, including nursing and fundraising.
Patricia was considered one of the most beautiful and eligible princesses. Her suitors included King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Infante Luís Filipe, the Prince Royal of Portugal, and Grand Duke Michael of Russia, younger brother of Emperor Nicholas II.
In 1919, she gave up her royal title and style of Royal Highness to marry Alexander Ramsay, a commoner and naval officer, and one of her father’s aides-de-camp.
Patricia, who became Lady Patricia Ramsay after the marriage, remained active in public life and charitable causes. Painting was one of her greatest passions, and she was made an honorary member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons/Royal Photographers W & D Downey
#11 King Juan Carlos I of Spain
King Juan Carlos I ascended the Spanish throne in 1975 following the end of the Franco regime (Dictator Francisco Franco had designated him as successor in 1969). In 2014, he abdicated the throne to his only son, Felipe VI.
Eight years later, he left the country amid an investigation for alleged corruption involving $100 million in kickbacks for his part in a rail project in Saudi Arabia.
“Now, guided by the conviction of providing the best service to the Spaniards, their institutions and you as King, I communicate to you my thoughtful decision to move, at this time, outside of Spain,” he wrote.
He added that he made the decision “with deep feeling, but with great serenity,” as he has “always wanted the best for Spain and for the Crown.”
In March 2022, Juan Carlos returned to Spain after multiple fraud investigations were dropped.
Image credits: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
#12 Prince Johan Friso (with Mabel Wisse Smit)
Prince Friso was stripped of his title as Prince of the Netherlands in 2004 after marrying a commoner, humanitarian Mabel Wisse Smit, without permission from parliament, which is required by the country’s constitution.
Friso was also removed from the Dutch Royal line of succession. Prior to his title being revoked, he was second in line to the throne after his older brother, Willem-Alexander.
Friso lost his life at age 44 in 2012 from complications following a skiing accident in Austria.
Image credits: Michel Porro/Getty Images
#13 Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi of Thailand relinquished her royal title in 1972 when she married Peter Ladd Jensen, a US citizen.
Her father’s decision to strip her titles aligned with the Palace Law of Succession, which bars royals from succession and some titles if they marry foreigners.
Following her divorce in 1998, she moved back to Thailand permanently and resumed public and charitable activities, though she never regained her former royal titles.
In February 2019, she accepted a nomination from the Thai Raksa Chart Party as their candidate for prime minister. The Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the political party, citing that nominating a royal violated constitutional norms, as they must stay above politics.
Ubolratana is one of the more colorful members of the royal family. A fashion icon, she has starred in movies and sung on stage with a top Thai pop group, as per the BBC.
Image credits: Pierre Suu/Getty Images
#14 Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall
Princess Anne is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Her children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, never received royal titles like Prince, Princess, or the style His/Her Royal Highness because they are grandchildren in the female line, and therefore not automatically eligible for royal titles at birth.
Though Queen Elizabeth II offered courtesy titles for Peter and Zara at birth, Princess Anne and her then-husband, Mark Phillips, declined, explaining that they wanted their children to have normal lives.
“I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles,” Anne told Vanity Fair in 2020. “So I think that was probably the right thing to do.”
Zara said she felt “very lucky” to have grown up without a title, as the decision allowed her and her brother to “live their own lives.”
While Zara is an accomplished equestrian and won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, her brother Peter is a managing director for SEL UK, a boutique sports management company.
Image credits: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
#15 King Carol II of Romania
Born in 1893, King Carol was the son of King Ferdinand I and Queen Marie. His personal life sparked repeated controversy and political turmoil, ultimately resulting in his exile.
In 1918, Carol secretly married Ioana “Zizi” Lambrino, a Romanian commoner and army officer’s daughter. This violated the constitution, and the marriage was annulled by the Romanian Supreme Court in 1919.
In 1921, he wed Princess Helen of Greece, but the relationship ended as a result of Carol’s infidelities, most notably with Magda Lupescu.
His relationship with Lupscu became a major scandal, as she was a commoner and born to a family of Jewish origin. When Carol refused to end the relationship, he was forced to renounce his rights of succession in favor of his son, Michael–born from his marriage to Princess Helen—and went into exile in 1925.
Parliament ratified the renunciation in early 1926, and his wife Helen divorced him two years later.
Despite his renunciation, a political crisis during King Michael’s regency prompted calls for Carol to return. He reclaimed the throne in 1930, but his rule became increasingly authoritarian, culminating in a royal dictatorship by 1938. Facing protests and a national crisis, he abdicated in 1940.
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons/Romanian Encyclopaedia of 1938
#16 King Leopold III of Belgium (with Son Prince Baudouin Of Belgium)
King Leopold III abdicated the throne in July 1951 amid opposition to his actions as commander in chief of the Belgian army during the German conquest of Belgium during World War II.
His decision to surrender without government consent and remain in Belgium during occupation created a constitutional crisis
His conduct polarized public opinion in the country, with Flanders (the Dutch-speaking region) largely supporting him, while Wallonia (the French-speaking region) opposed his rule.
To preserve the monarchy, Leopold formally abdicated in favor of his son Baudouin, acknowledging he could no longer reconcile a fractured nation.
Image credits: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
#17 Prince Andrew
Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, announced he would resign from his royal duties in November 2019 following the intense criticism he received over a BBC interview in which he addressed his relationship with financier and convicted s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein have become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” Andrew stated.
In January 2022, Queen Elizabeth removed his military titles and royal patronages after he attempted to dismiss a s*xual assault lawsuit against him.
Still, Andrew continues to hold the title of Duke of York and remains 8th in line to the British throne.
Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life in April 2025, had accused Andrew of forcing her to sleep with him when she was a minor in three separate locations under Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s orders. An out-of-court settlement was eventually reached, with Andrew paying Giuffre an undisclosed sum.
Image credits: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
#18 Prince Michael of Kent (with Baroness Christine Von Reibnitz)
Prince Michael of Kent—Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin—gave up his 15th place in the line of succession to wed a Roman Catholic, Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz, in 1978.
At the time, the Act of Settlement 1701 prohibited any royal who married a Catholic from remaining in the line of succession to the British throne.
Prince Michael’s place in the succession was restored in 2015 under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which ended the disqualification for marrying a Catholic, though it still bars a Catholic from becoming monarch. Michael is now 53rd in line for the throne.
The Baroness, who became Princess Michael of Kent after the wedding, has faced racism allegations and caused outrage when she wore a Blackamoor brooch to her first meeting with Meghan Markle at Buckingham Palace.
Image credits: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
#19 Swedish Royal Family Grandchildren
In 2019, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden removed the titles of Their Royal Highnesses to five of their grandchildren.
The purpose was to clearly differentiate which members of the royal family would be expected to undertake official duties.
“It will hopefully be helpful when my grandchildren eventually carve out their own future,” King Carl XVI Gustaf said of the decision in 2019.
While the grandchildren have all retained their titles of prince and princess and dukes/duchesses of their provinces, and remain in the line of succession to the throne, their future spouses or children will not have a right to them.
Carl XVI Gustaf became king in 1973, making him the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history.
Image credits: Royal Press Europe
#20 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they would step back as senior members of the British royal family in January 2020.
The couple moved from the UK to Montecito, southern California, where they live with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
A year after their decision, Meghan and Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a much-publicized interview in which they made bombshell claims about members of the royal family being racist toward their son.
The couple also launched Archewell Inc., which includes a non-profit charitable foundation and for-profit business divisions focusing on media production. In April 2025, Meghan, a former actress, launched As Ever, her lifestyle and cooking brand.
Harry and Meghan kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, but are no longer addressed as His or Her Royal Highness (HRH). Harry also gave up his military titles. He remains a prince and is fifth in line to the throne.
Image credits: Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation
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