17 royals who abdicated, lost their titles or left royal life

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Royal families come with immense privilege and wealth — but also strict limitations and pressures that some members either choose to leave behind or are forced to escape.
Keep reading for 17 international royals who abdicated, lost their titles or left royal life.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

In one of the most publicized royal scandals of the 21st century, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York, son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, brother of King Charles II — was stripped of all his royal titles, roles and residence between 2019 and 2025. Elizabeth and Charles made these decisions about Andrew because of his ongoing relationship with s** offender Jeffrey Epstein and accusations made against the erstwhile royal by the late survivor Virginia Giuffre. Andrew remains eighth in the line of succession as of March 2026.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, stepped down from their roles as senior royals in early 2020, becoming private citizens in the duchess' native United States. In January of that year, they said in a statement (via People), "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen." Unfortunately, their personal relationships with the rest of the royals went downhill from there.

Princess Diana

After she officially divorced then-Prince Charles in 1996 — four years after their initial separation, the Princess of Wales (known as Princess Diana) became Diana, Princess of Wales. It's a subtle difference but a meaningful one nonetheless, indicating that, had she survived, she would not have become the Queen upon Charles' accession. Of course, she was still a part of the royal family since she was the mother of Princes William and Harry. Diana tragically died in a car accident in 1997.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, a.k.a. the former King Edward VIII and his wife, Wallis Simpson, have been compared to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle because they also renounced royal life — and Simpson was also an American divorcée, which is why Edward was forced to abdicate just months after taking the throne. However, the two couples differed in one crucial way: Edward and Simpson were thought to be sympathetic to the Nazi cause, though there is insufficient proof to that effect.

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands

Princess Beatrix, formerly Queen Beatrix, abdicated the throne of the Netherlands after reigning between 1980 and 2013. She abdicated without great scandal to make way for her son, King Willem-Alexander, who remains the country's monarch at the time of writing.

Prince Michael of Kent

Prince Michael of Kent was the late Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin. When he married his wife, Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz, now Princess Michael of Kent, he automatically lost his place in the British line of succession because she was a Roman Catholic. However, in 2013, the clause that made this happen was repealed, and the minor royal was reinstated in the line of succession. As of March 2026, he is reportedly 53rd in line to the throne.

Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips

Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, the children of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, are still very much part of the royal family. However, neither of them has a royal title — unlike their cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. That's because they're descendants of the monarch from their mother's side, which, according to tradition, means that they don't get prince and princess status, per Hello!. Their father could have become an earl upon marrying Anne, but declined the title, which would have likely made Peter a viscount and Zara a lady.

Margrethe II of Denmark

Unlike in the U.K., European royals routinely abdicate when they feel it's time to pass the baton. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark formally abdicated in January 2024, paving the way for her son Crown Prince Frederik to become King Frederik X.

Juan Carlos I of Spain

In Spain, it's not uncommon for monarchs to step down when they feel that their duty is done. Juan Carlos I (styled as such even though there is no Juan Carlos II) abdicated in 2014, passing the reins to his son, who became King Felipe VI.

Princess Mako

Princess Mako, now Mako Komuro, had to give up her place in Japan's Imperial Family to marry her love Kei Komuro, whom she had met at university, per BBC News. The decision both moved and shocked the world, as Mako described her now-husband's "bright smiles like the sun." The former royal also declined the traditional payment of $1.3 million when she left the imperial fold, making her a trailblazer in many ways. With their subsequent move to the U.S., the couple has been dubbed "Japan's Harry and Meghan."

Emperor Akihito of Japan

Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicated in 2019, a shock move since no other Japanese monarch had done so for over two centuries, per BBC News. Akihito was at the country's helm for three decades before stepping down at 85 years old.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg abdicated his throne in late 2025 at the age of 70, after ruling for a quarter of a century. He ceded his place to his son Guillaume, now known as HRH Grand Duke Guillaume.

Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde of Luxembourg

Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde became the ruler in Luxembourg during a time of unrest, and the country's laws had to be amended so that she could take the throne as a woman. However, despite the difficulty surrounding Marie-Adélaïde's accession, she reigned as Grand Duchess for only seven years, from 1912 to 1919. She had to abdicate amid more turmoil and strife and was exiled to Switzerland after stepping down.

The Swedish King's grandchildren

In 2019, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden removed some of his grandchildren — those further down the line of succession — from the royal house, meaning they were no longer "official" royals with an HRH title and future royal duties, per BBC News. The decision concerned the children of the monarch's two youngest children, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine, while the children of the heir, Princess Victoria, remain "official" royals.

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

In a statement released in 2022, Princess Märtha Louise explained that she was abandoning her official royal duties to focus on her alternative medicine business with her then-fiancé, Shaman Durek Verrett. "Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett are seeking to distinguish more clearly between their activities and their association with the Royal House," the statement read. The two got married in 2024.

Lady Marina Windsor and Lord Nicholas Windsor

Lady Marina Windsor, the daughter of George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, and granddaughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (NOT Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh), gave up her place in the line of succession when she converted to Catholicism in 2008, per Tatler. At that time, she was 25th in line to the throne.

Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau

Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau in the Netherlands had a pretty tragic life. He gave up his place in the line of succession in 2004 when he married the future Princess Mabel "because of her earlier involvement with a notorious Dutch drug criminal," as BBC News puts it. Sadly, he then died at the age of 44 in 2013, after spending a year and a half in a coma following a skiing accident.